Riddle Riddle Ree What Do You See?

 

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So when life hands you an obstacle that you think you can never overcome, you have a few choices.  You can crumble, let it take you down and give up.  You can fight against the realization of the obstacle, deny it exist and try to overcome.  Or you can face it head on, realizing that it is going to  be one of the hardest things you may have to deal with.

It was today, as I was choosing the first option to crumble that a wise woman provide great insight.  This wise woman, has had her moments of hardship.  She has fought out of those hardships and survived.  Even at the point that she had lost everything, she continue to face it head on and fight.  Yes, she cried and she searched for the right answers.  But it was because of people believing the best in her, seeing that she held an inner strengthen that she would continue to fight to overcome.

As she looked at me today, she smiled and gave me words of wisdom to help me.  And she spoke these words, "Maybe I was meant to be here to help others, to show them that life is too short to worry about the small stuff.  To give them strengthen."

My dear friend, you are correct.  You are here to give us all strengthen.  And as I look at this strong bridge structure with feminine hues, I see you.  I see the storm that surrounds, but I also see the light in the distance.  And it is in that light in the distance that I know that we will find the moments of pure joy.

Thank you for being my support and my strengthen.

Riddle Riddle Ree...What do you see?

Riddle Riddle Ree, What Do I see?

 

Opportunities

 

 

Standing at the end of an endless corridor of archways draws me into the center of the furthest point, the dark unknown.  As if this passage way was attempting to tell me a story of time.  Those that past here before me were not aware of what was ahead, they were not aware of what happened to those before them.  Then why take this passage, why do I think that I can make a difference?

But it was at that moment, I started to walk through the arches and noticed different paths that lead away.  And from some passage there was light filtering through.  As curiosity gave way to exploration, I took those passages with promising light.  And often I was lead down a corridor that was not fulfilling.  I turn back around and take another path, sometimes lost, sometimes scared, but always still imagining a positive outcome.

I am still exploring the corridors of my mind and of my life journey.  Most days it is a day by day, hour by hour adventure.  Not knowing exactly where I am going, but know where I have been lends itself to reflection and discover.

Riddle Riddle Ree What do I see?   .... Opportunities

Valley of Shadows

Riddle Riddle Ree...What do I see?

My family and I were on a road trip.  The road we were traveling was very dark.  At times, I could barely see a few feet in front of us.  There was a fog that continue crept in and out of the road.  As I sat there the below words come into my mind recalling a period in my life were depression had began to over take me.  Luckily, my depression were caused by  external forces and once recognized I was able to heal.  Yes, there are still times these shadows come calling again.  But with the help of my loving husband and children, we can openly talk and ensure these shadows stay at bay.

Depression, mental illness, memory loss, aging can all lend to the Valley of the Shadows.  If it is yourself or a love one know that many people do emerge from the Valley of the Shadows. 

In the Valley of Shadows, lingers stories never told.

Memories that have fallen on the dark and eerie road.

There across the path the sound of footsteps echo from many years ago.

Through the trees lost spirits wander to and fro.

In the Valley of Shadows, listen closely and you will hear.

The laughter and the screams of those you fear.

You will hear in the wind the spirits whispering your name.

Be careful not to get caught in their dark and malcious game.

In the Valley of Shadows, you will surely loose your mind.

You start to wonder where you are and what will you find.

There the fog will cover you and trap your thoughts inside.

The spirits will search for you with no where to hide.

In the Valley of Shadows, lingers stories never told.

Riddle Riddle Ree 

I see something you don't see....

A Memory Caught in Time

The summer before 8th grade year, how perfect life seemed then. Our forever friends that we vowed never to let time or distance interrupt our friendships.  How we felt as if our little speck in the world was all that existed.   We created memories at the church picnic, sleep overs, pool parties and camping trips. We treated each day as an adventure, not realizing that this little world of ours would forever change. It would change as each person in our class would choose different high schools.  And still while others went to the same highschool, their interest would change and so would our friendships.

But for this moment in time, we had each other. 

 We had memories to hold on to and memories to create.

Riddle Riddle Ree....What Do You See?

Riddle, Riddle Ree...What Do I See?

Memories

You can hear the roar of the crowd, the cheers of the fans as the team executes their plays.  You see the nervous and proud parents on the edge of their seats as they watch their son or daughter.  You can see the joy of the win, the agony of defeat and overall school pride in the gym during any sporting event.  But what do you see when it is over?

Sitting in the gym one late night, I found this ball.  I placed it in the middle of the court and took a picture to capture what I believed to be the moment of how the gym is after the game.  But as I literally laid on the floor of the very quite gym with my eyes focused on the light reflecting off the wooden floor, I began to feel the past.  

I could feel the butterflies of the first day of freshman year when everything that the student once knew was gone, and how they could never imagine how much they would grow in the years to come.  

I could hear the sound of teenage girls awkwardly walking in high heels to their homecoming dance with great anticipations of what the evening held. 

I could hear the sound of a young teenage boy's heart pumping fast as he asked the girl he had been watching across the classroom all year to dance.  

I felt the pain of the day they called the entire school to the gym to announce the untimely death of a fellow classmate, I could feel the wet tears fall to the floor. And I could feel the student's hold onto each other so they wouldn't crumble.

I could feel the love when the odd kid out was made to feel welcome by the kindness of a fellow student.

I saw the joy as a parent placed on the junior student their senior ring symbolizing that the next year would be the year that their child became the leader of the school.

I could see the last day of senior year, the doors open wide as the excitement carried the senior class out of the gym and into the world.  I watched the gym doors hang open as if the spirit filled gym wasn't ready to give up the memories.  The light began to grow dimmer as the doors began to slowly close.  And then there in the last light, the last memory was let go.

Riddle Riddle Ree.. What Do you See?

Riddle Riddle Ree I See Something You Don't See....

Talent

He works tireless on a daily basis to compose culinary masterpieces that only his family will enjoy.  He continues to perfect his skills in anticipation that one day his dream will come true.  I continue to encourage and to look for avenues in which he can work on his dream 100%, but life continues to get in the way. Soon, very soon the rest of the world will be treated to his talent.

Riddle, Riddle Ree .. What Do You See?

Riddle Riddle Ree... What Do You See?

Road Trips

Do you have that one snack food that takes you to the same place time after time.  Funyuns, that salty onion snack, takes me to those hot summer road trips with my family.  My parents didn't have much money when we were growing up, but every year we took some type of road trip.  The road trips typically were in Kentucky to the local parks.  We would load up in the blue station wagon, I usually would ride in the very back with the luggage and my best friend, and cousin, Tracy.  The wind would blow through our long straight hair and cool us off from the hot summer day.  

During the trip, dad would stop for gas and let us get one special snack.  Going into the store, the cool air condition would get my attention first and then the ding of the bell on the door.  We would search the shelves until that bright yellow bag, the color of the sun, would catch my attention.  Grabbing the bag of Funyuns and going to the front of the store to get a Coke Cola out of the ice tub that cooled the little glass bottle.  Walking out of the county general store, there was usually a wall bottle opener to bottom the top off the Coke Cola.  Then the moment, when the salty onion taste of the Funyun was offset by the acid of the Coke Cola.  I would savor each bite, because I knew that it was only on this road trips that I would be treated to such indulgences.

Whenever I go on a road trip now, especially in the back roads of Kentucky, I find myself still grabbing that bag of Funyuns.  But now I try to get something a little less in calories to drink.

Riddle Riddle Ree...What do you see?

Riddle Riddle Ree What Do I See....Home

Riddle Riddle Ree...What Do I See?

Home

Looking at this ornament hanging on my Christmas Tree and hearing the song "I'll Be Home for Christmas, If Only in My Dreams" reminded me of the memories of Christmas from my childhood.

My Grandparent's farm house was heated with a wood stove, but the love in their house was more than enough to warm your heart and soul.  The trip to their house always seemed so long, but when we turned off the main road to the farm we knew familiar sights and sounds were around the bend.  

The road we traveled into the farm was rough.  The road started out smooth with a few rough spots.  And depending on the year and the weather the road could be rougher as we traveled into the farm.  I remember one year the middle section of the road was washed away.  It took some time but we made it over that part with my Dad's gentle guidance and patience.  

Then the creek would come into sight.  Again, some years the journey over the creek was easy.  The creek bed would be dry for a quick journey.  The creek could be damaged by bad storms during the year.  The creek could be rushing with water that could add danger and peril to our journey.  Or the year that created a lot of headaches was when the creek was frozen over.  That year there where flat tires and worst of all my Dad's car suffered a punctured gas tank.  But that became the best thing that could have happen, because of the damage to the car my Dad had to spend the week in the county with my grandparents.  I would be the last Christmas my Dad spent with his father.  My Grandpa Riedel died the next year.

The creek couldn't  stop our journey.  We would turn left into the thicket of trees and splash once more through a small creek.  We had to be prepared and ready, as before the rains could have made the small splash a big drop.  Through the thicket we would travel up the hill and hope that it had not overgrown in the Autumn months.  Some years, especially toward the end of my Papaw's life, my Papaw would not feel up to clearing the road for our return home.  We would have to work a little hard to get to his house.

Finally, we would reach the gate.  The card would stop and one of the children would jump out of the car to open the gate.  Now this was an important task.  Opening the gate was not easy.  The rock in the road was creek rock and was slippery and we had to be careful of the mud.  We did not want to get stuck in the mud on such and important day.  When we reached the gate we had to reach through the cold metal gate, unwrap the chain, and unhook the latch.  As we unhooked the gate we could barely see the farm house and the smoke from the stove.  We could also hear in the distance someone behind us on the road making the same journey.  With anticipation we would wonder who it was.  And wonder if they were having the same troubles on their journey or was their journey home smoother.  The gate would slowly start to swing open.  One dry days we would jump on the gate and let it take us for a ride across the rock road.  We would glide across and jump off on the side of the road holding the gate open so our family could pass safely through.

The car would stop on the other side of the gate to wait for us to shut the gate, the entrance to home.  

On cold days we would climb back into the warm car with our family continue on the journey.  But on those rare warm December days in Kentucky, we would opt to walk that rocky road.  The hill up to the farm house was steep, but rather if we were in the car or on  foot the journey was easy knowing that the warmth of the farm house awaited.  If we walked up the hill we cut part of the journey short by cutting through the field.  By car we could easily make it up the hill.  We still had to be cautious to ensure there where not pot holes ahead.  Once at the top of the hill we would park at the barn.  As we got out of the car it was exciting to see who had arrived before us.  The children would run to the house with excitement of seeing their family.  The adults would carry their load of presents, food or anything else they needed and could not let go.  

The farm house was protected by a fence and a gate.  Opening the gate and crossing the stone path to the wooden porch gave us a sense of relief that the journey was almost over.  The screen door squeaked as it was open and the old wooden farm house door swung easily open to reveal the light and warmth of the house.  Papaw would be sitting directly across the room from the door in a wooden chair listening to the news on the radio.  We would catch a glimpse of ourselves in the mirror above him as we were greeted by a few choice words.  Our Pawpaw had a gruff exterior but all along we knew that the love of the world was inside his heart.  

The smell of the stove would catch your attention as we saw Mamaw getting read for the arrival of her children with a feast.  Mamaw strong stature was soften by her warm eyes and gentle smile.  She had toughen up over the years raising her children and working the farm.  She did not have an easy or fancy life, but she had a life full of joy, love and most importantly faith.  

The laughter drew you into the dining room to see your family gathered.  Everyone was sharing stories about their journey over the past year.

It would be time to gather for prayer and thank the Lord for our blessings.  The man would sit for the first meal serving.  The children would be served and sent to the back room to eat.  We spent the time eating and laughing at anything.  The room we sat in was a bedroom closed off for the winter, but with all my cousins it was full of warmth.  The women would eat last after the men finished.  Since my Dad was a talker, he continued his meal with the women.

The present portion of Christmas was not important.  I hardly and vaguely remember that part.  The most important part was that we were in a home filled with warmth and love surrounded by our family.

As I reflect on my Christmas memories,  I know that my Christmas journey mirrors my journey in life.

The road may be rough at times but as long as we have our family we can make it to our final destination.  If we keep the vision of the final destination in our mind we will have the strength to make the journey.  Because when we reach that last gate and travel up the hill to our home we will be tired.  But all our pain and fatigue will disappear when we open that door and see Papaw sitting there as we catch a glimpse of our reflection in him.  And we will be comforted as we hear the laughter of all those that arrived home before us.

Merry Christmas.

Riddle Riddle Ree...What Do You See?

Unconditional Love

I held your hand and you said nothing, but the look in your eyes told me how much you loved me.  You spend the day struggling with the choice you had to make, either choice would cause someone's heart to break.  I softly rubbed the back of your hand with my fingers.  Tracing your hand to remember how much I would miss your gentle touch.  I realized it would be the last time we would share this moment, the last time I would whisper my love in your ear.  As I gave you my final kiss on your cheek, a sense of peace overcame me.  I knew then that Papaw was now holding your hand and leading you home.  Mamaw, was now at peace.

Riddle Riddle Ree ... I See Something You Don't See..

Me

I look in the mirror and see the flaws of a women's reflection.  I became saddened by the weight gain, the stretch marks, the gray hairs and the wrinkles.  I use to have the goal that I was going to have the body of a 25 year old by the time I turn 45.  But as the years passed, I began to realize that my goal of regaining the figure, smooth skin and dark hair with red highlights is not possible.  But why do I want to go back?

I look in the mirror and see the wrinkles around my eyes and around my mouth.  I stare and grin and notice that as I grin the wrinkles match up with my smile.  I look in the mirror and see that those wrinkles are the reminder of all the times I was happy and all the times I laughed.  It reminds me of silly nights with my girlfriends, snowball fights with my children and smiling at my husband when we catches me staring at him.

I look in the mirror and see the weight I have gained.  Then I remember the five past years of struggling with my knee replacements.  That because of my surgeries, I became inactive and I gained weight.  I remember the fact that my husband was there to support me.  I remember my girlfriend, Harriet, sitting with me while I recovered and gave me unconditional love.  I remember my mother taking care of me and my children, and realizing that she always has my back.   And as I look in the mirror I no longer see my pain from my knee  and know that in time everything gets better.

I look in the mirror and see the stretch marks.  But those stretch marks are my badge of courage.  The courage to carry both my boys through difficult pregnancies that included five months of bed rest and countless trips to the hospital.  I remember how I worried and cried myself to sleep.  How I would pray daily that my baby would be okay.  And the day each of them were born, I knew that it was all worth the trials and tribulation.

I look in the mirror and see the gray hairs and know that they are a sign of my wisdom.  Wisdom that only comes with age.  Because with age we have had the time to make the mistakes, to survive the mistakes and to learn from the mistakes.  Just as I now must let my children make their own mistakes, and know they will survive and learn.

I look in the mirror and see....me.  I see the girl I was, the women I am, and then wonder where the next part of my journey will take me.

Riddle Riddle Ree... What Do You See?

Riddle Riddle Ree…I See Something That You Don’t See…

A Bond

“Turn that rock over. There is one.”  Reaching under the propped up rock, Tracy pulled the worm out of the hole as it was trying to escape.   “We have the can full, let’s go.”  The two cousins started running from the back of the barn to the farm house.  Their hair was pulled into pony tails that followed behind them. They had cut off shorts and t-shirts that were covered with the day’s adventure.  They always wanted to run around on the farm without shoes, but Mamaw was too worried about the thorns or critters that were in the fields.  So reluctantly, the girls slipped on old tennis shoes that were usually soaking wet from running through the creek during the hot summer days.  It was now early evening and all of Papaw chores were done.  He had promised the girls if they could find enough worms he would take them fishing.  The worm hunt was his way to get a break after eating supper.  He knew that they would find the worms.

Tracy and Anne-Marie ran to the fence that surrounded the farm house and climb the gate.  Around the corner of the house the girls ran to see their Papaw sitting under the pear tree with his border collie, Ginger.  He stood up reached into his overall pocket and pulled out his pocket knife.  Grabbing a branch of the pear tree he cut three pears.  He handed one to each of the girls saying, “This will be your snack when we are fishing, so put them in your pocket.”  Both girls smiled, put the pears in their pockets and started back to the barn to get their fishing poles.  Papaw followed with Ginger running to catch up with the girls.

Opening the barn doors, the evening sun filled the dark barn.  The girls searched for the two cane fishing poles that they used on every fishing trip.  Papaw came in the barn to retrieve his fishing pole and a small tackle box.  He knew these fishing trips were not about the girls catching fish.  It was about the girls catching his heart.  So even as he struggled to make the walk to the back field pond, he would do it to be with his girls.  Tracy ran to the back of the barn and opened the doors that lead to the back field.  As soon as there was enough light from the back of the barn, Anne-Marie would close the front barn doors.  Papaw and Anne-Marie walked to the back of the barn to catch up with Tracy and Ginger who were already at the gate to go into the back field.

Papaw had moved the cows yesterday to the front field.  The cows loved to soak in the back field pond during the hot days, but that always made the pond too muddy to fish.  He knew that the girls loved the back field pond because of the cattails that surrounded the pond.  And as the sun began to sit in the evening the pond came alive with frogs that the girls loved to try to catch.  They started the walk through the field, the girls ran with Ginger.  Papaw followed behind the girls.  His age was catching up with him; he walked with a wooden cane which required him to take his time through the rough terrain of the field. 

By the time Papaw reached the girls, they already had a worm on their hooks and were ready to start fishing.  The great thing about this pond was the deep slope of the pond let them sit on the bank and recline back to relax.  The summer evening heat was lifting and a nice breeze was stirring up. 

“The bobber went down!” Tracy exclaimed.  “Pull it in!” 

“Give me time. I got this,” Anne-Marie said with the confidence of a seasoned fisherman. 

There it was a blue gill.  Anne-Marie did exactly as her Papaw taught her on how to take a fish off a hook.  She held the blue gill by the mouth, taking her hand she start at the head of the fish and lays the fins backwards to keep from getting cut her hand.  She studied the fish and how shiny the scales were, especially how the scales changed colors as the sun light reflected.  She knew that she had to be quick to get the hook out and get the fish back in the water before he died.  They didn’t fish to keep and eat the fish; they fished to have fun with their Papaw.  The other thing was the girls hated to see animals die, so their Papaw learned quickly to not involve the girls with that part of the farm life.  Anne-Marie took the hook out of fish’s mouth and then gently placed the fish back in the water.  She leaned over to the pond and washed her hands off.  

Taking another worm she baited her hook and waited again for the next fish to come along.

The girls would last about twenty minutes at best with fishing before they would start exploring the ponds edge.  They learned that if they walk softly and didn’t talk that they could explore the cattails and find all sorts of creatures.  There were frogs of all sizes and turtles.  Papaw would often check the pond to make sure that snapping turtles had not taken up residence.  He knew that if the girls found a snapping turtle they would try to pick the turtle up and he did not want them to get hurt.  He taught the girls which snakes were okay and which ones you backed away from.  But it was always the frogs that the girls would have the most fun chasing around the bank of the pond.  

Then the whippoorwills would start dancing in the evening sky indicating that it was time to start heading toward the farm house.  They gather their fishing equipment, and start making their way back through the field.  Ginger would lead the pack this time.  Ginger could sense if a coyote or other evening critters where lurking around.  She would often bark as to tell the creatures not to brother them.  The sun was setting in front of them as they made their way down the hill to the house.  The fishing trip was successful; the girls had caught Papaw’s heart once again. 

Riddle Riddle Ree … What Do You See?

    

Riddle Riddle Ree...I See Something You Don't See...

Peace

Have you ever had a special place that whenever you are not feeling well that you think of that place and you are at peace?  Well that place was my grandparent's farm.  I say "was" because the farm was sold years ago and most of the buildings on the farm have been torn down.  But luckily, my memories of the farm are as vivid in my mind as if I had just visited there yesterday.  I am flooded with so many memories as I try to determine which of the many special places on the farm to share.  So, Riddle Riddle Ree, let's see where my memories takes me.

Walking up to the house there is a creek rock path and there on the porch are my grandparents.   Do you see them?  My Mamaw is sitting there in her light linen house dress which moves slightly as the breeze stirs around to cool her.  She is holding a dish towel in her hands which tells me she is taking a quick break from her chores.  My Papaw is sitting in his chair with overalls and a long sleeve blue button up shirt. He is mumbling under his breath about something he just heard on the radio.  The little radio sits inside the screen door on a shelf in the kitchen.  I open the screen door and hold onto to the inside handle to make sure it doesn't slam closed.  The spring on the door never worked as long as I can remember.  But if I let the door slam, my Papaw would grumble, "Hold that handle!"

As I cross the kitchen into the dining room, I check to see what Mamaw has cooking on the stove.  I lift the lid slowly to let the steam hit my face and fill the room with the aroma of the food.  The smell of the fresh farm veggies cooking and the fried chicken make me instantly hungry.  Placing the lid back on the pot, I see out of the corner of my eye that there is a lemon meringue pie sitting on the counter.  The pie with the tall fluffy meringue is cooling from just coming out of the oven.  Knowing that it is still about an hour before dinner (which is lunch in the country), my cousin and I go through the dining room to the living room.

There in the corner of the living room is a step up and then a door.  It is always eerily quiet in the living room, because almost everyone is sitting on the porch to cool in the breeze.  It is always too hot in the house.  But there is the door; the porcelain handle is waiting to be turned.  No one had opened the door since our last visit. There is something both inviting and scary about opening the door, so we turn the handle slowly and then swing open the door.  The breeze pushes the door open and I can feel the sweat that beaded on my forehead start to evaporate.  I count one, two, three, four steps and then turn to the left for five, six, seven steps.  At the top of the steps, I stop to look around first.  I am checking to make sure that there are no snakes, birds or other animals in the attic.  The attic is my playground.  The unique thing about the attic is that there are two windows on one side of the room and one window on the direct opposite wall.  The house sits on top of a hill so the summer breeze enters the room through the two windows.  But the breeze can't just escape as easily as it came in because there is only one window across the room.  So the breeze whirls around the room and cool us as we explore and play.

There is the source of hours of entertainment, the trunk.  The trunk sits behind the roll away bed.  So we drag the trunk out from behind the roll away bed and then inside we find our treasures.  The dresses that our mothers and aunts wore to dances, proms and weddings are neatly folded in the trunk.  Since our mother’s didn't have much money they made their clothes.  The memories of the dances and the weddings are with the dresses.  There are also the dried flowers and corsages that engage our imaginations to wonder how our mother’s felt when given the flowers.  My Mamaw had finally let us start to play with the dresses.  This was only after when she realized that no one was ever going to wear them again.  Since the dresses are really special to her, we always place the dresses back in the plastic bags that she had them carefully stored.  We pretend that we are in high school.  We act like part of the attic was the school and my cousin pretends she was the teacher.  Then we pretend the other side of the attic was our house.  We put the dresses on and pretend we are at the dance.  We play until we are called down to the kitchen for dinner.

We watch our mothers serve our fathers.  Our fathers just came in from the fields and need to eat and rest before going back out to finish the work.  I see my father and wonder if he remembers the dress my mother wore to her prom.  Does he know that it is upstairs?  The mothers fix the children’s plates and send us out on the porch to eat.  Finally, the women clear the table from the men and fix their plates.  The men go back out to the field to work.  The women settle in at the table to share their stories with their mother, their sister and their friend.  I listen to hear the sisters laugh with their mother, for them to reminisce about those years gone by.  Then my cousin and I go back to the attic and open the trunk, the memories of the dances and the weddings are with the dresses once again.

Riddle Riddle Ree… What Do You See?

Riddle Riddle Ree...I See Something You Don't See...

A Story

When looking for inspiration today to write, I pulled out old photo albums.  For those that were born only in the digital age, we old folks use to take pictures with a camera on film.   We did not get the opportunity to take a photo, look at the photo that instantly and determine if we should retake to get a better picture.  I can hear my mom still to this day saying "Johnnie, take one more just in case."  Just in case the picture was out of focus, just in case one of the kids wasn't smiling, or just in case someone had their eyes closed.  Just in case, because it was your only chance to capture that moment.  The only chance to be able to capture an image that years later you could go back and look at and remember.  But capturing the photo was only the beginning of the process.

Getting the 36 exposure 35mm film developed was always interesting journey.  The film would be placed in a drawer, the bottom of your purse or left in the suitcase to be found later.   Film was like little treasures because you quite often forgot what was on that roll of film.  Here in your hand was this film that held the memories of your life.  It was only protected by a plastic outer cover.  If the film was exposed to light, your images would be lost.  You memories still there in your mind, but maybe not as clear to recall if the photo existed.   

Walking into the store you would go to the film counter to fill out the yellow envelope with your name, address, phone number and the most important box...double prints.  Double prints is the way that you would share your photos with others.  If you got double prints you could then take the duplicate photo, place it in a envelope with a hand written letter that you would mail to your friend.  Mailing was when you  drove to the post office, wrote the address of your friend on the envelope, placed a stamp on the envelope and  mailed the envelope.  Your friend would then receive the photo two days or up to five days later.

But before you could mail the photo, you had to wait up to a week to get the film developed and the pictures back to finally see the images that were captured.  There was something about that waiting, the anticipation that gave you excitement.  You go back to the store's photo counter and ask the clerk, "Do you have photos for Hogan?".  The clerk would look through all the bins, come back and say "Not yet."  Then you would wait.  Waiting is the thing that us old folks would do that made one appreciate what you would finally receive.  Finally, the photos would show up at the store.  Again it was up to you to go to the store, ask the clerk and get the photos.    Then you would rush to the car with the newly developed prints and open the package.  Sitting in the car flipping through each photo you would smile, laugh and remember.  Each photo held the memories of the moment and the memories that you would get to experience again by viewing the photo.  You rush home and show the photo to your love ones saying "I didn't even remember us doing that!" or "What a great picture."

Then to preserve the memories you would label the back of the photo with a pen that would not leak through the photo paper.  The labeling was sort of like "tagging" the photo that is done now.  You would write the date on the back of the photo, who was in the picture, where the picture was taken and maybe even comment on the photo.  Then you carefully would find the photo album, a book that held the pictures, and place the photo in protective plastic sleeves of the album.  I remember my mom telling us if we would help her during this process, "Don't get your finger prints on the photo.  Hold the photo on the edges."

The photo album would be placed on the shelf in the family room.  The family room was the place the family gathered to enjoy each other's company.  Talk about your day, read a book, pray and watch the only television in the house with four channels together.  Then when your friends came over for a visit, you would take the album off the shelf and ask if they would like to look at your photos from your last trip.  You would share with your friends your memories, what you were doing in the photo.  And maybe the funny thing that happend after the photo that you remember.  The conversation would start and hours would past as you shared with your friend these moments.  This sharing of moments formed stories, stories that were shared among your family and friends for generations.

Although photo processing has changed with the digital age, it should not change the way we process the photo.  Labeling is now tagging, printing is now posting but sharing is still sharing.  Share your photos and give them a story.

Riddle Riddle Ree...What Do You See?

Riddle Riddle Ree...What Do I See?

Persistence

I work from home so that I can have total silence in order to get my work accomplished.  Sitting in silence you often hear various sounds.  There was one day in April that I keep hearing the sound of a thump.  Thump...Thump...Thump...Thump

I stop working and went around the house looking to see what the sound was coming from.  I checked to see what our dog was doing, sleeping as usual.  I walked with caution to the basement.  Since I was a kid, I hated investigating sounds that came from the basement because of the basement monsters.  But, I reluctantly went in the basement and looked.  Still, I couldn't find the source.

Thump...Thump...Thump....Thump

Now the sound was driving me insane.  What was making the noise?  And then my eyes were drawn to the mini blind on the back door moving.  Okay something was outside the back door.

Thump...Thump...Thump...Thump

I grabbed a knife from the butcher block, just in case the basement monsters escaped and where trying to get back in the house.  I slowly walked to the door.  Where's the dog, he will protect me.  Oh I forgot he was sleeping.  But, I was sure that he would come to my defense if the basement monsters got me.

Thump...Thump...Thump...Thump

I began to open the mini blinds and to my amazement there was nothing there.  Then THUMP! Right in my face as something hit the glass.  I screamed!  THUMP!  What was that? Then I looked at the patio chair.  There sat a cardinal bird that continued to fly into the window.  Why?   I backed away from the door to watch and to see if he would do it again.  THUMP.  He hit the door again. I went to my computer and typed in Google Search "Why does a bird fly into a window over and over?" The results from http://www.massaudubon.org/Nature_Connection/wildlife/index.php?subject=Birds:%20Behavior&id=17 stated that the male cardinal will do this during the mating period because he believes it is another bird trying to move into his territory.  And that this "window fighting" behavior may last until August.  How was I going to handle months of a bird flying into my window?  I decided I wasn't going to be able to handle it and I needed to find a solution.  So for the next weeks began the experiments.  I started to notice that he only did this during a certain time of day when the sun hit the glass and made it reflective like a mirror.  So, I started hanging mini decorative stain glass window art from the door.  That stopped him for a couple of days.  I let the dog out during the time he was doing flying into the window.  That stopped him for twenty minutes, because guess what my dog did.  My dog found a nice spot outside and went to sleep, great guard dog.

So I gave up, I began to accept that this male bird was being protective of his mate and their offspring.  If he was going to be persistent, then I was going to be accepting.  So developed my love for my cardinal bird and his family.  I can always tell when she is sitting on the nest, because THUMP he hits the door for weeks.  Then I will see him and her sitting on the patio table after the nesting period is done.  And of course, he flies into the door again...THUMP...and she sits there and watches as I do with pride knowing he is protecting her and their offspring.

Riddle Riddle Ree...What do you see?

Riddle Riddle Ree..I See Something You Don't See...

Reality of Life

A pot left on the ground over the seasons became victim to the harshness of the environment.  This once strong, solid pot had provided safe haven to the plants which flourished in the pot's protection. The pot began to form cracks from the daily pressure.  But, the pot continued to provide a place for the plants to grow.  Then the elements of the weather caused the pot to break.  Fall came and the plants withered away for the winter.   The moss formed in the pot and gave protection to the roots of the plants.  Spring came and the plants that found shelter in the pot began to flourish again.  It didn't matter that the pot had imperfections.  What mattered was that the pot still provided the essentials to make sure the plants continued to grow.

Riddle Riddle Ree..What do you see?

Riddle Riddle Ree What Do I See?

Dreams

I held his hand as we went into Sullivan University's doors to register for his classes.  He was nervous and unsure if this was the right thing to do.  In his heart, he knew it was what he always dreamed of doing. In his head, he as scared of the unknown.  He hadn't been in a classroom in over 30 years and was worried that he would not be able to keep up with the younger classmates.

He started the first day, the first week, the month's past and he was working hard to do the academics.  The culinary classes came with ease and excitement.  He was excited about learning new techniques and skills in culinary.  He continued to work hard and he reaped the benefits...graduation!

  As he looks to the future, he still is looking forward at his dreams and now realizes that dreams do come true.

Riddle Riddle Ree...What Do You See?

Riddle Riddle Ree…What do I see?

The man who does not read has no advantage over the man who cannot read.” 
― Mark Twain

I was nine years old visiting my grandmother in Springfield, Kentucky, a small rural town.  It was there that I fell in love with reading.  We had gotten up that morning and did our usually routine of eating a wonderful breakfast that my Grandpa had ready for us.  I can still taste the salty butter flavor of the homemade biscuits that was enhanced by the sweetness of the blackberry jam.  Then the fresh squeezed orange juice and the smell of the coffee.  That was the mornings at my grandparent’s house.   They didn’t have the intrusions of the daily life that we have now, we were able to sit and enjoy the meal around the table as a family.

With no plans for the day, my grandmother took her book and went and sat on the screen porch.  She sat in the green metal glider and sipped on her coffee and began to read.  I sat beside her and gently moved the glider back and forth.  I listened to the morning birds as they called to each other trying to imagine what they were saying.  Then as I snuggled up with her to find warmth in the cool autumn breeze, she began to read out loud. 

 “You don't know about me without you have read a book by the name of The Adventures of Tom Sawyer; but that ain't no matter. That book was made by Mr. Mark Twain, and he told the truth, mainly.”  - Adventures of Huck Finn

I laid there and listened to her voices as she pronounced each word. Then she began to change her tone to give each character their own unique voice.  The images appeared in my mind of this young boy and all those he encountered.  It was at that moment the spark was ignited.  I found I place where my imagination could take over, where adventures could happen and where emotions could be explored.

Riddle Riddle Ree…What do you see.?

Riddle Riddle Ree...I see something you don't see...and it is...

A Journey

Life is not about the destination it is about the journey.  

During my journey my focus was drawn upward to the purple, blues and the clearing that was far ahead in the sky.  I did not need to look straight ahead to know where I was going.  I trusted in the knowledge that looking toward heaven would guide me on my journey.

Riddle Riddle Ree...What Do You See?

Riddle Riddle Ree... What Do I See?...

A Promise

I reluctantly walked out the door to take my son for the third trip of the day.  As we were backing out of the driveway, a rainbow began to appear from behind the clouds.  We drove about 100 feet down the street and as the clouds began to clear a full double rainbow appeared.  

I stopped the car and we got out of the car and looked at how the full double rainbow filled the entire sky.  I tried to get a picture that capture the entire rainbow, but I couldn't.  The rainbow was too large, too impressive and too awe inspiring.  As I got back in the car and started to drive off, I told my son, "Thank you."  He said "For what?"  I replied, "Had you not ask me to drop you off at practice, we would have never got to experience seeing a full double rainbow."   

He then asked, "Why do rainbows form?"  

I replied, "Scientifically, droplets in the sky reflecting light form the rainbow.  But I like to see the rainbow as a promise that God is giving us that the bad that we have experienced will not occur again.  That God will be there for us."

May you find that rainbow that fills your life with promise.

Riddle Riddle Ree...What Do You See?

Riddle Riddle Ree What do I see...

The souls of those that have passed going to heaven.

My cousin and I sat under the pear tree with our grandfather on his farm on a warm summer night.  We were sitting on the ground waiting for the evening breeze to begin to cool the night.  The whippoorwills were doing their last dancing flights of the day as the sun began to set into the rolling hills.  The sky was painted pink and purple and small clouds began to appear.  My grandfather asked in his wise country voice, "Girls, do you know where those little clouds came from?"  We answered "No."  He then told us, "Those are the souls of the people that have died.  When you pray for someone's soul, God will bless you with watching them pass into heaven.  But in order to see them you have to be able to be thankful for the sunset."

Riddle Riddle Ree...What do you see?