On the “12th day of Christmas” Richard and I finished our morning coffee, then got busy storing away our Christmas decorations. I began packing Christmas treasures and memories…music boxes…wooden pyramids from Germany…feather trees…and angels, while Richard went outside and took the Christmas wreaths from the windows…stored away our manger scene…and carefully put Mary, Joseph, and Baby Jesus away for another year.
Continue reading “Our Season Bright and The 12 Days of Christmas”Tag: Branson
Summer Re-Cap …
“Another summer set into a glorious sunset and in the morning … September arose.”
“Another summer set into a glorious sunset and in the morning … September arose.”
Trenda
It seemed like a very busy and short summer, and before I can go on with
“all things autumn” … here’s a re-cap of our summer. I am so sorry I haven’t written any posts this summer, but now I’ve written about some of our summer highlights all in one “verbose” blog. Pour yourself another cup of coffee and enjoy the “this and that’s” of our summer. The smallest and most adorable “this” of our summer … our brand new grand baby! Our son and daughter-in-law had their 2nd child, and their first little girl! She is “sugar and spice and everything nice” and I can’t keep from smiling just looking at her precious face! ❤
June … The very first day of June we headed off to Branson, Missouri and spent a week there with our daughter and sweet grand daughter.
As soon as we got back, we began decorating for Vacation Bible School.
Our grandson was thrilled that he got to go to his first year of Vacation Bible School in a pre-school class provided for the teacher’s kids. He went every day with PaPa and Grandma and loved it!
Then it was July … Happy 243rd birthday America!
July afternoon’s on the lake …
… summer afternoon’s at the arcade.
… and Spin Zone!
… around Cottage Green!
July stretched into August … with happy days spent making chocolate chip cookies with Grandma.
… and homemade soap!
Days of ‘tiquing and ticking …
Decorative tables are some of my favorite things to find whenever we go on our “treasure hunts.” Look what I found snuggled together in a cluttered corner of a favorite shop.
This charming duo from Italy will look perfect in our “almost finished” upstairs bathroom. (Reveal coming!) A pair of crocheted hand towels ribbon-ed together, a luxuriant bar of Gardenia scented soap, and a medley of dried rose petals, lavender, chamomile buds, lemon grass, orange peel, and hibiscus petals fill a crystal biscuit barrel and sit atop the ornate tables.
Then, on the next to last day of summer, I found this darling glass topped table with twiggy legs, and a little birdie perched on the edge of a branch.
Then, we ended our summer the same way we began … by heading back up to Branson with our daughter and grand daughter the last week before summer vacation was over.
Less than a week after our return, Richard and I drove up to La Crosse, Kansas for the Memorial of WO James Eisenhower, who was killed in action in Vietnam in 1968.
After the Memorial, Richard and I took the scenic route back through Colorado and we drove through Wolf Creek Pass … “way up on the Great Divide” (: passing ski slopes we used to ski on, not really so many winter’s ago.
That evening we stopped at Pagosa Springs, Colorado and checked into the cutest log cabin that Richard spotted alongside the San Juan River. We had a lovely dinner at a Mexican restaurant and sat outside on the patio where it was Colorado cool, even in August! (: Our table overlooked the San Juan river and natural hot springs that Pagosa Springs is named for.
The next day we crossed the border into New Mexico and drove past other familiar mountains we used to ski on: Red River, Angel Fire, and Taos, New Mexico. We stopped in Angel Fire to see a Vietnam Memorial and Garden located in a perfect spot for reflection on a peak overlooking Angel Fire and the mountains, beyond.
We stayed that night, high in the beautiful, secluded mountain mesa that is the town of Los Alamos. “Los Alamos is a town in Los Alamos County, New Mexico, United States that is recognized as the development and creation of the atomic bomb – the primary objective of the Manhattan Project by Los Alamos National Laboratory during World War II.” The next day we went to the Visitor Center and saw a film on Los Alamos during WWII. Afterwards, we were given a map and we took a driving tour of the homes and work areas from that time period.
Our guide at the Visitor Center urged us,” if we had the time” to drive on to Valles Caldera National Preserve.
We did and driving through that preserve gave us a glimpse of a “land before time” with majestic Ponderosa Pines, Loblolly Pines, White Pines and natural grasses.
Hillsides were covered with groves of Blue Spruce and Junipers and “were home” to over 144,00 elk, the second largest elk population in New Mexico. Our brochure also told us that other residents of Valles Caldera included black bears, mountain lions, bobcats, foxes, golden eagles, wild turkeys, and prairie dogs. **ALSO … If you’ve ever watched the A&E Network series titled “LONGMIRE” … Valles Caldera is the location for a lot of the filming that takes place. We drove right up to “Sheriff Longmire’s cabin” that was originally built on this property back in 1917 – 1918.
The next day we crossed over the border into Texas and stopped at Palo Duro Canyon, the “little Grand Canyon.” Oh my, it was spectacular and neither Richard and I had ever seen it before! One of the many things we loved about this grand sight was that we could drive our car all the way down to the base of the canyon to see all the landmarks, caves, and rock formations.
From Palo Duro Canyon we were only 6 1/2 hours from home. Every mountain, mesa, canyon, tumbleweed, yucca, cactus and rock formation we saw on our trip was just a reminder of God’s artistry, and as I looked at each of these sight’s my soul sang … “My God how great Thou art!”
From my cottage to yours ~ Trenda
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“This Land Is Your Land” … Road Trip from Texas, to Mississippi, to Missouri, back to Texas!
~ Trenda
Richard has been asked to speak at a Memorial Service commemorating his dear friend, Bill Seaborn. Bill was killed the day he and Richard were flying together on a rescue mission and their helicopter was hit by AK-47 fire and subsequently crashed into the jungles of Vietnam. Before the scheduled date of the ceremony, we wanted to spend some time getting to know Bill’s family and friends and we also needed to make arrangements and check out accommodations for those in the 240th Helicopter Assault Company that will be attending the ceremony. We were in Mississippi for 3 memorable days, spending time with people that all loved Bill. Everyone was welcoming and gracious and we instantly became friends. Though we are still apprehensive about the actual ceremony (I’m sure I’ll be writing about that after it occurs!) and the heart-stirring tribute commemorating Richard’s dear friend, we are looking forward to seeing all these lovely people, again. Afterwards, we drove from Mississippi to Missouri for a much needed vacation and to spend time visiting with Richard’s family.
Pour yourself a cup of coffee, put your feet up, and look at the stunning pictures I took along our 1,384 mile road trip! As I looked at these pictures I couldn’t help but smile as the remembered words and melody that my great-uncle Woody Guthrie wrote and sang, America’s beloved folk tune “This Land is Your Land” (this proud niece can’t help but boast!) accompanied my viewing. (:
“As I went walking that ribbon of highway I saw above me that endless skyway I saw below me those golden valleys This land was made for you and me …” ~ Woody Guthrie
During the 2 1/2 weeks we were away … storm clouds chased us from state to state!
Spring tulips punctuate the deep green grass …
Old bridge over a Mill pond …
Cheerful Spring greeting …
Cascading waterfalls surrounded by cattails and Redbud Trees.
Stacked rail fence, blossoming Redbud Trees and billowy clouds.
This stunning statue is located at “Top of the Rock” in Ridgedale, Missouri. The Native American sitting on his horse symbolizes the “Trail of Tears” and standing in an Infinity Pool … appears as if the waters of the pool spill, like tears, over into Table Rock Lake, far below.
Beautiful chapel in the afternoon shadows.
Inside the chapel, a breathtaking view of the Cross looking out a wall of windows …
To the scenic Ozark Mountains and Table Rock Lake below.
On another day of travelling, we saw a total of 3 rainbows! The first rainbow was a double rainbow and the colors were spectacular! Our 2nd rainbow, the arch was complete and it was the first time I had ever seen where the rainbow touched the ground … no wonder all the folklore and stories of pots of gold! I was so mesmerized, I forgot to even get a picture until it had almost faded away. The shimmery vivid colors and beauty of the bow was enchanting and reminded me once again of God’s promise to Noah.
Lunch at a favorite restaurant with a dear niece on Lake Taneycomo in Branson, Missouri.
After a delicious lunch (which she “sweetly” insisted was her treat! <3) … we took her to “Top of the Rock” (named that because it is located on the highest elevation in Taney County, Missouri) to see the Ancient Ozarks Natural History Museum and to go to the “Lost Canyon Cave and Nature Trail” a 2 1/2 mile ride tour driving our own 4-seated golf cart! Along the trail are dramatic rock formations …
Majestic waterfalls … we could feel the spray of the water on our face and arms as Richard maneuvered our golf cart around this curve! (:
Caves …
… and Amish bridges spanning deep ravines.
The gray stone chapel standing regal in the purple and golden twilight reminds me of this quote from Lucy Maud Montgomery “Twilight drops her curtain down, and pins it with a star.”
And finally … back to the Bluebonnets of Texas.
“This land is your land, this land is my land
From California to the New York Island
From the Redwood Forest, to the Gulf stream waters
This land was made for you and me.” ~ Woody Guthrie
From my cottage to yours ~ Trenda
Thank you for reading my blog! I’d love for you to “FOLLOW ME!” (:
Cottage Green on the Lake 