Thought for Sunday: If you want to restore your sanity...

...spend time with children!

My husband and I belong to a square dance camping club. We dance and camp one weekend a month from April through October. This weekend we were at Colonial Beach and took along two little granddaughters to join in the fun. And fun it was! We swam in the pool, played mini golf, went to a thrift store, ate ice cream, line danced, did the hokey pokey, ate more ice cream, admired the many murals in town, waded in the river, walked out on the pier and met a fisherman from Woodbridge who showed us his catch including a fat catfish and some "spots" who were gasping which was a little disturbing to two little sensitive animal lovers who have a tank full of fish, three turtles, and a bunny back home.

What do you do to veg out? I write poems for my grandkids.

Here's the latest.

A Poem for All My Little Bird Watchers

Cardinals and sparrows don't share well. 

I was cleaning off my desk today and came across a poem I obviously started when I was recovering from my rotator cuff surgery. How could I tell? Easy. I obviously wrote it with my left hand when I wasn't allowed to move my right arm -- at least the beginning. I apparently added some stanzas later after I could lift my arm and use my right hand again.

I truly enjoy writing little poems for my grandkids. This one is about the birds that come to my feeder. How I love them. We took the feeders down for the summer. We start to attract bears in the late spring and that means they have to go. We don't want any bears near our bee hives! Read more here...

All Good Things Must Come to an End!

At least for now.

Our two Fresh Air Fund visitors from New York City left for home early this morning and we are back to just the two of us. Quiet reigns as we get ready for our next batch of visitors (our Austin son and his family). So laundry, bed changing, pool and yard upkeep, etc. are all on the agenda for the next few days. As we do our chores we'll be thinking of all the fun we had this week!

Walking across the "scary bridge"

And what a busy week it was! We hiked to the Woodstock Tower for a view of our little town to the west and Fort Valley and the Blue Ridge Mountains to the east. We waded and threw rocks in the north fork of the Shenandoah River and crossed the "scary bridge," a walking suspension bridge built to let folks get out when they are "river'd in." (That's when the river covers the road.) We picked blackberries at Marker-Miller Farm and visited the Rte. 11 potato chip factory. (Unfortunately, they weren't cooking that day.) We walked around Woodstock, went thrift store shopping, and fed the ducks. On First Friday and on Sunday we went to Mass and Sunday morning we also visited a local nursing home where I take the Catholic residents Communion. The girls charmed them all especially one lady who is generally depressed and hostile. Instead she lit up like a Christmas tree when she saw the girls and asked them questions about school and their summer activities.

At nighttime we read fairy tales and had bedtime prayers and lullabies.

For the first time ever the girls cooked over a bonfire and jumped on a trampoline. And every day but one we swam and swam and swam with an occasional popsicle break. In fact one of the girls learned to swim while she was here and has a beautiful stroke! Our other visitor already knew how and she helped instruct and was a great cheerleader!

The girls baked cookies and decorated cupcakes. They drove the tractor, picked wildflowers and made beautiful arrangements. A high point of the week was visiting the "llama lady" who is always friendly and welcoming and full of fun! They took our two little granddaughters under their wings winning hugs and necklaces made by the six-year-old.

Two local nieces loaned us their ten and eleven-year-old daughters to join in the fun and they are already asking us to invite Bari and Monni again next year. In fact, God willin' and the crick don't rise we are already thinking of what we can do when summer rolls around again. I think a short camping trip will be on the agenda.

Now doesn't all this sound like fun? Why not consider becoming part of the Fresh Air Family. We'd love to tell you all about it if you have any questions not answered by visiting their web site.

Fresh Air Fund: What a Great Program!

I'm not blogging much this week because we are hosting two little girls from New York City through the Fresh Air Fund. What fun! They had never cooked hot dogs and s'mores over a bonfire! They loved it!

We've also been to see the llama lady. Did you ever feed a llama by offering a cracker held in your mouth?

We picked blackberries at a local farm, gathered wildflowers and made arrangements,

 put puzzles together and played games. Every night before lights out we have stories and songs. If you've never heard of the Fresh Air program check it out. Maybe you'd like to join the fun next year. Our two little granddaughters are thrilled to have two new friends to play with.

And two of our grand nieces who are about the same age have enjoyed being part of the excitement as well. I think there may be some pen pals in their future.

We're sure glad to be part of the Fresh Air Fund and hope to continue as long as our health (and energy) holds out! What's more fun than a gaggle of gorgeous little girls having fun together?

Getting a New Hobby: Guess What

I'll give you a hint. It involves LOTS of new friends. We'll be spending more time doing it in the spring, summer, and fall than in the winter. We'll use some special equipment while we do it. And it's completely out of our current experience. If you're curious and want to see what it is, go here.