Happy Saint Patrick's Day!

I thought I would take a special photo for Saint Patrick's Day by combining together these three souvenirs I bought in Ireland on two separate Berea College Bluegrass Ensemble trips that Daddy led. I bought the miniature Blarney Castle portrait first, when we went to the Blarney Woolen Mills after touring Blarney Castle on the 2004 trip. It was my second time to visit Blarney Castle, the first being on a Berea Festival Dancer trip to Ireland, Scotland, and Denmark in 1998. I've been to other castles, such as Windsor Castle and Edinburgh Castle, but Blarney Castle remains my favorite, even though it's in ruins and I have no desires to kiss the Blarney Stone, which is supposed to bring eloquent speech. (I'm satisfied with my own form of writing.) The area around the castle is so beautiful, and I have fun memories of exploring the castle, braving the challenging stairs. On the Festival Dancer trip, I got to take a peek in the cave like dungeon, and on the 2004 trip, we loved wandering around the gardens.

The leprechaun and fairy are more recent souvenirs that I bought on the 2007 Bluegrass Ensemble trip to Ireland. We didn't get to visit Blarney Castle this time, but I got the leprechaun at another Blarney Woolen Mills shop which is at Bunratty Castle. Bunratty Castle is a highly restored and well decorated castle, but there now happens to be a modern day highway full of cars right beside the castle. It was funny to brave another challenging set of stairs and reach the topmost tower, and not only see medieval buildings, but also modern day cars zooming along the highway below. The fairy is from the beginning of the same trip, bought in a shop right after we got to Ireland and drove into the city we were visiting. I love all three of these souvenirs, and I think they match each other pretty well.

Happy Valentine's Day!

Happy Valentine's Day to all who view my blog. I thought of drawing this heart and flowers together for a Valentine card. Every single friend blooms within me.

I Designed the Cover of Union Church's Long Night Service Bulletin in December

This past December, my friend Steve Rhodes asked me to design the cover of the bulletin for Union Church's Long Night Service. The Long Night Service is always held on the night of December 20, and is meant for those who grieve or otherwise are having a very hard time just before Christmas. I accepted his request, having myself experienced deaths of loved ones at Christmastime. My friend Charlie Howard died on Christmas Day in 2004 after having ruptured his colon when he was just 34 years old, and then my family's 16 year old toy poodle Missy was put to sleep on the night before Christmas of 2006 following seizures that day. Those deaths were very hard for me to bear, and I've been remembering them each Christmas. I had Charlie and Missy in mind as I designed the bulletin cover. I took this picture of it so I could share with everyone. The photo is actually a copy of a copy of my original drawing, so some of the lines are not very clear. You can click on it for a up close look. The bottom corner is dark because of the shadow of my camera. You should be able to read my poem well enough on the bulletin, but here it is in print anyway.

May our loved ones who die before us
Find a welcoming place in Heaven to be.
May we eventually get to join them up there
And enjoy each other's presence for eternity.


It meant so much to do this bulletin, and I got nice praise for it. It helps knowing I can comfort others who are grieving. I attended the Long Night Service myself, and was touched by what was being said. Sometimes, I just like to sit in my house with the bulletin and look at the angels and read the prayers inside the bulletin, while remembering those such as Charlie and Missy.

Pippin with Bedside Stuffed Animals and Mickey Mouse

Lately, I've been rearranging stuff from my childhood bedroom into my newer house. I took my old stuffed animals that sat in a crate beside my bed and organized them in a row on my loft bed. Among my stuff is a Mickey Mouse clock that Grandma Rose had sent to me for Christmas from Carnegie, Oklahoma. I think I was in sixth or seventh grade at the time, because I remember earlier getting a Minnie Mouse watch from her in fifth grade. I came back to school after Christmas Vacation, and found out that so many classmates had also gotten Mickey or Minnie Mouse watches for Christmas. They were a very popular present that year. This Mickey Mouse clock in the pictures below complemented my Minnie Mouse watch. Both quit operating eventually, but I loved having my Mickey Mouse clock on my bedroom wall. I'd think of Grandma Rose every time I'd see it. After Grandma Rose died on October 9, 2000, I told myself that her spirit is still smiling down from me from the Mickey Mouse clock.

It was rather hard for me when Daddy dismounted it from the wall where I had always known it to be in my childhood bedroom. I did not really know where to put it in my house now that I was on my own, but it was nice to hold Mickey Mouse in my lap a few nights ago and think of Grandma Rose. Pippin sniffed it before lying right beside me on the floor that night. I decided to take Mickey Mouse upstairs, even though there was no mount for me to hang it on right now. I thought of above the window ridge, but that was too narrow. I then discovered a nice place on the window sill right above my stuffed animals. Mickey seemed to be a very nice addition to my stuffed animals. Pippin had hurried upstairs with me, and was now resting right in front of my stuffed animals and my Mickey Mouse clock. I thought they would make a good photograph together. I had to go downstairs for my camera and thankfully Pippin remained on my bed. It was rather a challenge to take pictures without a flash without getting them too blurry or too dark, but I wanted to keep the nighttime effect. Looking at Mickey's position on my windowsill, I now imagine that Mickey was alive and whole, and had climbed up a ladder outside my house to peer into my second story window. He seemed to be enjoying having Pippin and me right there.

Back on the computer, I did plenty of photo editing to try to make the pictures light enough so people could see them better without making them too bright and changing the cozy mood of the pictures. I noticed that the brightness of the pictures changes from computer to computer, depending on the computers' brightness settings. The pictures also would appear darker in the daytime than they did at night. That has made editing a challenge. I hope the results are satisfactory. The third picture is my favorite. I think Grandma Rose would have enjoyed this scene. She had a cat of her own.

My Thanksgiving card

I just completed this drawing the evening before Thanksgiving and wanted to share this with everybody. You can click on my card to get a bigger view. The autumn leaves that I organized into letters and a smiley face were fun to draw. The S and G's did get a little challenging.There are so many people I'm thankful for, and of course pets too, like my cat Pippin. Happy Thanksgiving everybody!

Enjoying Late Fall

On the day before Halloween, I got Pippin inside, and while I was upstairs, I spotted him resting on the big beam that goes out over my living room. Pippin loves walking across that beam and looking out the windows. I've always enjoyed seeing him using the beam like a tightrope. I have taken several pictures of him from below, but this is the first picture looking at him from above. He is looking off to his side into the living room.


Pippin started walking back towards the railings, and I took this next picture really quick as an example of his tightrope walking skills.

I decided that while I was standing in my loft area, I would take this picture of the view that Pippin and I both enjoy. The distant foothills are slightly seen beyond the trees.

Earlier this summer, I had a physical therapy evaluation, and while it was decided I didn't need to resume physical therapy, I was now required to take walks! This was my favorite of things that I was asked to do, since I love taking walks anyway. This walking track in the picture below that goes around the old Dresser factory building is just behind my house on Harrison Road. The factory is now Berea Municipal Utilities. My family used to take walks here when I was growing up, but Daddy and Emma started taking bike rides instead and the walks mostly stopped. This hill has also been a family favorite for sledding in the wintertime, though I prefer not to sled. The garage in the distance was just built in the last few years, and I find it a bit intrusive, right next to a tree that I love to walk by. The path goes right around the tree and behind the garage. I still enjoy the beauty of the tree, even with the garage and piles of gravel right there. Since I've started taking walks here again, I've walked a few times with my family, but I've preferred to take solo walks, going at my own pace and thinking my own thoughts while enjoying the nature around me. Of course, friends would be welcome too.

This is late afternoon after I took those last pictures of Pippin and my view out my windows. It was mostly cloudy by this time. I was lucky to get the sun shining in this picture.

While walking downhill on the sidewalk to get to the track, I always pass by this birdhouse perched on a tall post. With its multiple rooms and balconies, I like to call it a bird motel, with a lovely view of the foothills beyond. Of course, birds don't have to pay to get in, and they can stay as long as they want to.

Here is the track winding around the trees on the far side of the factory. Brushy Fork Creek winds around this parts of the track, though it is mostly out of view. Where the track straightens out again in the distance, there is an opening where I can walk right up to the creek. My family had always passed this by on our earlier walks, but this summer, right after I was asked to start taking my regular walks, I joined family down there. Hazel, Aren and Sage were with us, and Sage was liking it there. Since then, I've loved being down by the creek on my own.

Here is the view looking directly across the creek. The creek was pretty low on the day before Halloween. This was the first time I had brought my camera. You can see a little bit of the near bank covered by leaves. I've enjoyed seeing leaves drifting in the water.

I looked to my left to take this picture. The creek was at a stage that it was possible to walk alongside it, though I've loved it when the creek is higher too. I've watched the change from summer to fall while standing here on different days. Many leaves have fallen in my presence.

Here I am looking the other way towards the direction the water is coming from. I'm always amused by the root sticking up into the air and coming back down again. The branches sticking up from it makes it appear that the root is pretending to become a tree!

When I finally left the creek, I went back up to the track and turned around to look at the creek behind me. The trees offer a nice frame. I just love being out on my own down there, rather uninterrupted by the few people walking along the track.

After following the track back towards the road, I left the track when it curved towards the factory, and continued on through the grass to the road. This wooden bridge was not far from me. My pastor Kent Gilbert lives in the house on the other side. The Quaker meeting house beside his house is out of view in this picture. Kent just moved in last year after living outside of Berea on Scaffold Cane Road. I love having Kent as a neighbor. His dog Murphy and my family's dog Rusty are best friends. Kent has greeted me out here on my walks.

Earlier this summer, the church gathered here to do our first creek baptism. My family and I joined many church members looking off the right side of the bridge where Kent was in the water with the guys being baptized. My family had brought Rusty with us, and after the service was over, Rusty loved running around with Murphy. Emma encouraged Rusty to go down the wooden steps with her and start swimming in the water. After some hesitation, Rusty decided he liked going swimming.

Standing on the bridge and peering into the water has become a big part of my walks. I still have to be careful when cars pass by, but I keep enjoying it here. At this time, the creek was so low that many rocks were exposed, so I decided to wait for more rainfall before I took pictures looking straight out from the bridge. However, directly below me was a beautiful view of the reflection of two trees along with the leaves in the water. I took this picture, and immediately my camera battery gave out. This was my last picture of the day.

When going out on yesterday afternoon's walk, I took my camera again, with it charged back up. It was much sunnier this time, with blue skies. The views from the bridge weren't much better, but I enjoyed this glimpse of the water through the trees when I was standing on the road.

I thought it would be nice to take a picture looking down the dead end part of Center Street where I live. This is the point after Harrison Road breaks off of Center Street, leaving the rest of the street to be quite free of traffic. My house is hidden from view. It is to the right at the end of the street. I wanted to share the fall colors on my street before the remainder of the leaves fall from the trees. Walking along this street has been a nice way to both begin and conclude my walks. I have loved living right on the edge of town.

Right after I took this picture, I started hearing my neighbor Tina's voice calling to her small white dog Gloria. I walked further, and saw Tina, her daughter Iris, and Gloria standing by the road. Iris is about 23 months old at this time, and she was very excited to see me. She happily greeted me while Tina was talking on the phone. After Tina was done with her phone call, we had fun spending time together. Iris showed me how she could push around her toddler tricycle, and I enjoyed seeing Iris leading Gloria on a leash. Gloria was ultimately confined to a post in their front yard, while Tina and Iris brought out a doll stroller to show me. Iris enjoyed sitting in the stroller even though she is a bit big for it. I took this picture of them in front of my house, while they were looking at the leaves. Iris is smiling at me and holding a leaf in her left hand. I enjoyed showing Tina and Iris this picture as well as my pictures of my walks and Pippin on my beam. Being with them was a fun conclusion to that day's walk. I like the late afternoon sun shining upon them. Tina's husband Jason came driving up soon afterwards, and I got to see Iris go running up to her daddy for a big welcome before I said goodbye.

Happy Halloween!

It was on Halloween day exactly 10 years ago when I went with my family on a visit to Cumberland Falls. Something very exciting happened to me that inspired me to write a poem about it later. Read on to see what happened.

The Rescue at Cumberland Falls

My family went down to Cumberland Falls,
As it was such a pretty day.
We hurried out there after church,
Not knowing what fate would fall our way.

We hurried out there after church.
It was as pretty as a postcard.
We watched the falls from several vantage points.
It wasn't easy to get bored.

It was at the point right next to the falls
When the excitement really began.
For I was leaning against the railing,
When my crutch fell out of my hand.

I watched it fall to the rocks below.
This accident halted the fun.
I wondered if I had to spend the rest of my life
With only one crutch on.

My daddy decided to save the day
By leaping over the railing.
But he jumped at a place where the rocks were pretty close,
So through the air he didn't go sailing.

He climbed down the rocks 'til he picked up my crutch,
And then he climbed back up again.
I'm glad my crutch didn't fall into the water,
Or Daddy might have had to take a swim.

After Daddy jumped back over the railing,
The rescue was finally done.
I could now laugh about my crutch falling over,
And get back to having more fun.

I was more careful to hold onto my crutches after that,
And never let them fall with a whack.
Or they might fall over some far higher point,
And I'll never get them back.

Daddy put music to my Cumberland Falls ballad, and he and Mommy sang it to everybody at Christmas Country Dance School that year. I was delighted as everybody laughed throughout my ballad. At the end, everybody turned to where I was sitting amongst them and gave me a standing ovation! Losing my crutch at Cumberland Falls had resulted in one of my happiest moments of my life, thanks to my ballad. I had written it because I got an English assignment that fall to write a true ballad, and that recent experience came to my mind. I had not written much poetry beforehand, but the success of that ballad has encouraged me to write more poetry and become a real poet.

Just a couple years ago on Halloween, I was washing my hair in my family's upstairs bathroom sink, when the pipes below sprouted a leak that sent water rushing out onto the bathroom floor. I immediately yelled out to Daddy, who had just come home. He had to come rushing up to try to fix that leak, which was rather out of control. Mommy reported that the water was soaking through the floor and creating a waterfall onto the piles of clean clothes in the laundry room. I don't remember exactly how the leak got resolved, but it was a crazy thing to happen right on the anniversary of me losing my crutch at Cumberland Falls. We had our own waterfall! Daddy had once again come to my rescue.

Unlike both of those Halloweens, I've been without Daddy this Halloween because he's away this weekend playing music. Nothing really dramatic has happened this time, though I've been missing him as I went out trick-or-treating with Mommy, Emma, and Emma's best friend. Having a little sister has allowed me to go trick-or-treating again, though I don't ask for candy myself. I've been enjoying wearing my Beary Potter shirt. It has a teddy bear on the front with a flower in a pot in front of him and more flowers nearby. The words "Beary Potter" are written in the same font as Harry Potter's name. I was basically being Beary Potter for Halloween. I liked seeing other children in costumes. I was able to meet up with one of my neighbors afterwards, who was having a hard time keeping a fire going at a pit in her front yard. I was spent several minutes with her by myself, and she enjoyed my company. That was a good way to conclude an evening of trick-or-treating.