THOUGHTS OF SPRING...

Snow on the ground, birds in the air

Face to the sun

No worries, no cares

Soon we'll have flowers and warm afternoons

Spring's on her way! Not a moment too soon!

I'm getting so antsy for spring! The temps are warming up and all I can think about is getting down and dirty in my gardens. I have 5 gardens that I put in every year. The one closest to the house is my "salad" garden because I love going out and picking fresh veggies for lunch and dinner salads. I grow anything and everything for a nice hearty, healthy salad, although I must admit I do give in to my weakness for some fried green tomatoes from time to time. For those I use my big beefsteak tomatoes. Delicious fried and the perfect size (when ripe) to be sliced and put on a big 'ol juicy burger hot off the bbq grill! - I'm making myself hungry here!

I have a garden for nothing but squash, another for nothing but melons, another for my beans and cucumbers, and another for my strawberries. Lots of strawberries! Oh! And I have a pumpkin patch!

I've always been fortunate to have an abundant harvest that more than fills our fridge and freezer and I'm always so thankful. I also can and make jams and jellies, sauces and relishes, so the pantry has been well stocked too, but really, when I say we have an abundant harvest, I mean a-bun-dant! Every year we end up giving so much away, two of our neighbors have stopped putting in their own gardens! They just wait for us to come by or ring us up and ask if they can come over and do a little pickin'! I love it!

Can you tell I'm a little excited for spring?? Well aren't you too?? Do you garden?? What fruits n' veggies do you grow??

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TEN THINGS OF THANKFUL

What a wonderful link up! 

1.)  I am thankful for my friend who insisted I start a blog and sent me in the direction of the A to Z Challenge and Facebook blogging groups, which brings me to my next bit of thankfulness...

2.)  I am thankful for the blogging group Bloppy Bloggers, which, you guessed it, brings me to my next bit of thankfulness..

3.)  Lizzi Rogers approved my request to join.. Which.. Yes, brings me to my next bit of thankfulness..

4.)  I followed a link to Lizzi's blog, 'Considerings' and found 'Ten Things Of Thankful!' I am thankful for this link up! I love filling my mind with thoughts of gratitude and once my mind is filled, my life is filled. Funny how that works, huh?

5.)  I'm thankful that spring is in the air, the birds are chirping and the sun is shining once again!

6.)  I'm thankful for the wee ones in my life who bring a smile to my face, joy to my heart and warm my soul like no other.

7.)  I'm thankful for Arlee Bird at the A to Z Challenge for being my very first follower and giving me tips about word verification. His blog is 'Tossing It Out.'

8.)  I'm thankful for mix and match dinners of chimichangas, nachos, cornbread, crab ragoons and iced tea!

9.)  I'm thankful for a warm bed and a soft pillow.

10.)  I'm thank for a furry little boy who wakes me up every morning with wet kisses all over my face and he doesn't care one bit that I've got bed head and morning breath!

Again, I hope I've done this correctly. I was told linking to other blogs/sites is important and I've given several links here. If you're reading this and you haven't been to the blogs and sites I've provided links for, I encourage you to do so now and please do leave a comment and follow them if you'd like. They're all lovely sites and I assure you, you won't be disappointed.

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WRITE TRIBE - "55 On Friday" & "100 Words On Saturday"

I'm writing with Write Tribe today for my first time ever and boy was it challenging! I loved it! Besides, I'm always up for a challenge, are you? 

The Prompt - How I wished

THE DANCING GYPSY'S "55" - 

The reunion brought them face to face. In her eyes he saw their bond of pain and heartache. "She turns eleven this year." Todd pulled her close. "We were kids Kelly. How I wished.."
"Daddy!" Todd lifted up his little boy and Kelly smiled wiping a tear.
"I always knew you'd be a great dad. 

The Prompt - H/She's The Lucky One

THE DANCING GYPSY'S 100 WORDS - 

“Shut up. You don't know everything.” Danny's punch landed hard on Troy's jaw. He stumbled to the bar and ordered another shot of whiskey. Troy sat next to his best friend, his jaw swollen but not broken. “You're right. I don't know everything but I know she left without saying good-bye.” Danny sat silent, staring into the mirror behind the bar. Troy put his hand on Danny's shoulder. “Look, all I'm saying is that you're lucky you found out before the wedding, right?” Danny smirked and raised his glass to the couple in the mirror. “No, he's the lucky one.”

That was a lot of fun and I hope I did it correctly! I provided links to Write Tribe if any of you would like to give it a try. I hope you will. I'd love to read your posts.

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FEELIN' GROOVY FRIDAY

I love days when everything comes together and falls into place per.fect.ly. I have a smile on my face from ear to ear and I look around and think, "Wow. This is groovy man." Yep. I'm a throwback kid. I didn't grow up in the 60's but I wish I had. I love everything about the 60's and I will live the rest of my life totally bummed that I missed out on 'Woodstock.' When I watch the documentaries on 'Woodstock' I love to watch the people swaying to the music so gracefully, free spirits embracing the moment, granted, higher than kites and stoned off their asses but still, to me, beautiful. I love their clothes and their hair adorned with flowers, their love beads and their body art and I wonder where all of them are today. How many survived the 60's and how many are still free spirits roaming about spreading words of peace,love, and flower power. How many of them are still embracing "the moment."

Embracing the moment is a way of life for me. It started as a thought and as they say, "thoughts become actions" and so it began for me. A way of "being" rather than just a way of thinking. Simply put, it is a habit and as with any habit, the more you engage the stronger it becomes. That's not to say that I don't have my "down" days, I wouldn't be human if I didn't but over time those "down" days come fewer and farther in between and it has become much easier to pull myself up by those proverbial boot straps and bring my mind back into "the moment." How do I do it? Taking a moment to be thankful for all that I have and all that is coming my way, counting my blessings as it were. Listening to music from the 60's, creating a piece of "groovy" art work, going for walks, gardening.. There's just something soothing and somewhat meditative about putting your hands into deep, rich soil. Feeling the warmth and dampness, planting seeds of beauty and nourishment, trusting that Mother Nature will receive our gifts and in turn, bestow upon us her gifts of flowers in the spring and fresh fruits and vegetables in the fall. Melding into my surroundings and feeling at peace, I embrace "the moment" and before I know it, once again I'm "feelin' groovy."

I hope wherever you are you're embracing "the moment" and "feelin' groovy."

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BETTER CONVERSATIONS

Hi, welcome to my blog. I have no idea what I'm doing or where this will go but I am certain I will enjoy the journey. I hope you will too!

Let's begin with "better conversations."

WHAT'S NEW? - This blog!

WHAT MAKES YOU FEEL MOST ALIVE? - Being outside!

WHAT DO YOU DO? - I'm an artist and a personal assistant.

HAVE YOU EVER CRIED IN PUBLIC? - Yes! Movies, weddings, graduations, church....

HOW'S SCHOOL? - I don't go to school.

DO YOU READ THE REVIEWS BEFORE YOU SEE MOVIES? - Sometimes and then it doesn't really matter what the review is good or bad, if it looks interesting I'll go see it.

HOW'S WORK? - Busy!

DO YOU SAY SHERBET OR SHERBERT? - I actually say both.

ARE YOU SEEING ANYONE? - Yes.

HAVE YOU EVER HAD A PARANORMAL EXPERIENCE? - I've been in old houses that had a certain vibe.

HOW'S YOUR MOM/DAD/HUSBAND/WIFE/BROTHER/SISTER? - Both of my parents are in heaven. I don't have a husband or a wife. My brother and sisters are great!

WHAT DO YOU USUALLY GET FROM THE ICE CREAM TRUCK? - Gosh it's been a while but I really like those strawberry shortcake ice cream bars.

DID YOU CATCH THE GAME LAST NIGHT? - Well, I caught some of the Olympics, does that count?

WHAT WAS YOUR HIGH SCHOOL GYM TEACHER LIKE? - Boring.

SOME WEATHER WE'RE HAVING HUH? - It's beautiful here but up the east coast is sure having some weather, huh?

HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT CILANTRO? - Blech, blech, blech. I don't like cilantro AT ALL.

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