Mancations & ATV-ing fun

We are back from an ATV picnic ride. The ride on the way up before we unloaded the machines
we saw 13 head of mountain sheep a couple of rams were fighting in the road. Then in the next pasture we saw 4 deer, we saw birds during the day after we unloaded blue birds, ravens, a sparrow hawk, and on three elk, and three wild turkeys.

It was great we found a camp ground we had been trying to get to but did not get the right road until today. That was great, found another camp ground on the way to it. The one we went to had scenic attractions of info. about CC camps during the depression they had built a look out tower. This spot was called mount misery.

The fall color was glorious the huckleberry bushes were vibrant red. The road was smoother this trip and that was good just a couple of rough spots. Hubby showed me where he and our son had tent camped and woke up to 6” of snow the next morning. It was a complete surprise to them that snow was in the forecast this was an elk hunting trip. One of those man-cations I heard about on the news the other day a vacation for men.

On the way we stopped at what looked like a cabin a place the snow mobile riders can warm up in the winter. There was another place we got some info. men looked like they were on a mancation too, it was a forest ranger place I found out later.

We were close to the places that had fires and saw the trial heads that were closed. On one of our earlier trips in July, I think we stayed in one of the camp grounds that was closed because of the Columbia complex fire.

On the way home we traded ATVs and I rode hubby’s. and he rode mine for about ¼ of the way approximately 22 mi. I think we did 44 miles today.

20 Creative Actions

Creative actions you I can take list.
1. fix hole in basement stair wall & paint
2. Hang curtains in sewing room.
3. Put the primrose into a good pot.
4. Change the downstairs pics.
5. Work on creativity notebook.
6. Send my sister send mom the apron I got for her.
7. Send my sister crochet afghan book I got for her.
8. Buy socks.
9. Go to church wearing new sox.
10. Work on a computer file of fall name tags.

11. Send afun tag or stat to friends.
12. Write about my current life and send a letter to granny.
13. Put something in my "God Jar," a special incubator for my dreams and hopes.
14. Designate something else a "what the heck!" basket for my resentment, annoyances, and fears.
15. Throw a tea party and request that each guest bring a good story to tell.
16. Make a pot of home made soup.
17. Donate clothes that are too big.
18. Pray for more creative ideas.
19. Go to a great body lotion store and get one great perfumed soap.
20. Take an friend to a lunch, or granny play date with others grannys that have kids at home too.

Grape Pie

Yesterday after school the grand kids helped me to pick the grapes something that they love to do. These are green grapes.

Then they played in the back yard we had recess

for an hour or so. The weather was perfect 72* and sunny out side.

This reminded me of a time my granny made grape pie.

As I sat on the patio swing I realized what a joy this was to

watch grand children playing and it was what makes me happy.

They played with the toys I set up on the new cubes in the rec. room

with renews interest after rotating the toys for the new fall season

indoor toys and kids books have such a new place in the schedule now.

First Snow

First snow!

Lets by-pass fall and zoom right on in to snow season
Lord knows we need it for all the fires in the PNW
I heard on the news Mt. Spokane had snow this morning.
That oh saw a 3.5 hr. drive from here.

It was cold on the walk today even with a sweater 65* ish was our high temp.
aver 90* for weeks it feels cold. Rain that predicted did not show up.
We needed it but it breezed right past us.

I am looking forward to the fall color around here.
We are enjoying cooler temps.
they will be up to 70* again next week.

One year it was warm enough to go camping in November.
That was great.

Full Tank

I was watching Yanni on PBS and it made me think now that really filled my tank! So now I am thinking about priming the pump, on the farm you have to put water in to prime the pump some time what we put in our spirits helped us to get the creative forces going.

My weekly hikes and daily walks help, and some of the other things that have made me feel refueled in the past. have been been reading some on being refreshed getting some time for me after a busy summer; it’s become evident that I need to move me up higher on the list and important for me understand that I really do need to take some down time to get refreshed from time to time.

Last week of vacation really helped I did not realize how dry I’d become in my spirit. Some times just taking a walk to see the color of fall will do it for me but fall color has not arrived here yet, but we did see some fall color in the mountains.

Other times for me it’s having a fresh perspective on life. I need to schedule time to write, read, draw and do creative pursuits that I enjoy.

Today after I mowed the yard on my art date this week I was able to find a silver coffee service I’d had my eye on for a while I decide to go ahead and get it. It was black and took some elbow grease and some Mr. Metal to get most of the black off. I am going to use this for decoration on the piano for now and it will be fun to have on the serving table during the holidays. These are some of the things that fill my tank.

After getting refreshed I was able to return to my work with renewed enthusiasm and vigor things like dishes were not longer so over whelming I understood they were just a part of life. My whole perspective had changed about it.

Create a Personal Sanctuary

Create a personal sanctuary a place for quiet reflection alone to read write and contemplate. Some people are able to do this when they drive. I realize that when we are on the ATV's this is a wonderful time for me to have what I call the solace of solitude. No traffic no on else was around and have a time to reflect pray and enjoy God's creation over the week end we saw two different groups of big horned mountain sheep, some deer and wild turkeys too! Getting to pick black berries in the bottom of the canyon was a treat.

It was neat when hubby said I was getting better on my ATV when I pulled up just seconds after he stopped. I was trying to keep up so we had time to pick berried. Other times I'm just enjoying the view and lolly ~ gagging behind. I enjoy a slower pace at times too.

At home my office is that place at times any way; so I'm trying to dig it out before it gets any deeper in here we almost needed a snow shovel to scoop out the piles papers, and stuff I'd taken out of the living room in my latest stash and dash when people stopped by.

We have a home that is not Martha Stewart clean but has that "lived in look". I try to keep the living room presentable, the first two places we had were open kitchen floor plans what a night mare for me that was now the kitchen has a wall and that has been a life saver for me!

On my art date yesterday at the thrift shop I found a tote bag that zipped closed, I'll be able to put a sketch pad and journal in that. I'd been looking for one. I found a pail with a bail and a lid it is blue with white dots on it and geese a wonderful size for berry picking just enough for a pie! That will come in so handy I have another one like it only it holds a gallon or more. So this one is a better size. The lid is great if you trip on the trial you do not spill all your berries!

People Grats

People that have helped me grats of people who have helped me on my weight loss journey.

Dr. H. who delivered our kids and had me walking a mi. a day when I was pregnant with gestational diabetes.

Hubby ~ for starting to journey and being a great leader on
the weight loss journey.

Pastor Ron King who said from the pulpit please don’t bring goodies at the holiday season.

Neighbors / friends Mr. & Mrs. K.

Neighbor Mr. A. positive comment

The next door neighbors to the west who said their dr. said eat half.

Neighbors directly behind us who shared about their daughter that had gastric bypass surgery that groups donated free clothes to her that was so inspiring!

Oprah & her trainer Bob Greene

Dr. Phil

Kristi Alley [the Jenny Craig spokeswoman].

For all those on TV shows that had the courage to share their journey.
For the authors of books I read that went on the journey before me to inspire me so much!

To my sis that completed suicide and showed
me a path I knew I did not want to take.

My grand children who like to go on walks with me, and give me so much
more inspiration to continue on my journey.

For those doctors and nurses that taught us how do deal with our son’s
diabetes and who ever made the teaching video on how to mange blood sugar for our son when he got diabetes type I at 17 when he was a high school senior.

For all the P.E. teachers that were such a great example for me when I wasn in PE is school eons ago when they actually taught PE as a class.

For my high school track coach that taught me to love that sport.

For my grandpa who taught me how to overcome the obstacle of blindness from glaucoma and the dedication to church when he could
no longer drive.

For my other granny at fourty-five who said her dr. said she she she needed to loose some weight – and she did. What a wonderful example she’s in her 90’s and still alive today.

For s.h.e. sisters who taught me how to have and implement a plan.

For the 4-5 people we know that had heart attacks since we started on our journey it really it really confirmed we are on the path!

My jeweler who said “congratulations” when I took my rings in to
be down sized again!

For my fear of the dr’s tools of the needle, and the knife that spurned me on to do it my own.

What Have You Learned In The Past 18 Months?

What is the important thing you have learned in the last 18 mo.?

Don’t give up, even when I thought I’d failed and the scales seemed suck, or went in the wrong direction I just kept plugging along! I kept on keeping on. When I fell off my eating program I got right back on and started all over again. And yes I did have set backs. But I did not give up I kept walking, exercising and monitoring the size of the portions I consumed.

I reviewed the de-fat the kitchen part of my program, and tossed the junk that crept back in occasionally. I asked family members not to bring the stuff I was not supposed to have with the sugar, white flour, chips and other junk foods. We replaced them with on program alternatives.

Our home became a haven and refuge we learned that we really could enjoy life again with out candy bars cakes cookies and the all you can eat buffet! We learned to love salads at lunch and dinner too. At some point our focus changed off of the food and we moved on to let other things be our focus. Seeing how we could get past the issues that were stressing us so much a death in the family of an aging parent.

The exercise we got during sale of the farm, seeing childern finally getting their ducks in a row helped too. I found an on line support community of prayer that lifted me up and encouraged me. I kept walking daily through the steps of my life I discovered an internal strength that I did no know I had. What a joy to discover my affirmations were helping and actually working.

My yard and garden became work out zone and helped as we worked on projects together. Helping others move created a renewed since of community and family ties were strengthened as we went through this process. We grew stronger in our faith and closer as a couple.

Challenges of having my last close extended family member move cross country helped me to refocus my energy and attention on immediate family. My friends could not keep up on walks as my health improved and we enjoyed trips to the park with grand children it’s been fun to devote time energy and attention to them and being grateful for the opportunity to see them grow past the stroller stage as when the lived with us. And now that they have moved they still like to go on walks and nature hikes with us we helped them to understand some healthier life style options.

On our walks they gathered treasure in bags for treasure boxes leaves
became art projects to trace cut and glue for even more fun. The joy in our lived increased greatly in those times that we shared.