What's Truly Important

This holiday we count our blessings on all the fingers and toes we can find. We have been given an extraordinary gift. Bob came close to leaving us permanently on August 3rd, 3pm, but found spiritual blessings via a personalized epiphany that appeared nearly non-stop while under trauma care in SICU. I can't share details of something so personal but it has indeed been life changing for him, for us. That is Blessing Number 1.


The teenager is growing up. Now a first year college student she is spreading her wings, discovering herself, and learning how to be in Real Life. This ain't Reality TV, baby! She is maturing like a rocket, taking nearly a full load while working and living in an apartment. The blessing is just how well she is handling everything. Our daughter is growing up and pursuing her dreams - that's just the way it's supposed to be. Congratulations daughter - this is Blessing Number 2.

Okay, I just had to highlight our dog, Baylee. She was supposed to be a cat. "No More Dogs!" I said, stomping my foot, nose high, leaving the room. That eventually became "I'M not taking care of her - YOU'RE taking care of her!!!!" However, today? Who's dog is she? She's MY DOG and I'm NOT giving her back! She is the bestest, most wise, funniest, smartest, lovingst dog ever in the history of dogdom. Baylee is my touchstone. When I need a hug she is always there with her perfect doggie scent and warm licks to my face. Baylee is Blessing Number 3.



Marrying Bob opened my world to a family I consider one of my finest blessings. We all have shared many a Christmas together, and other holidays as well. We've celebrated in Arizona, Indiana, Missouri, Illinois, Mississippi, Iowa, Nevada, North Carolina, and of course Alabama. Our family is scattered all around the United States, and some even live in England. Yes, there are celebrations going on over there, too, this year. These two photos, above, represent Blessings Number 4.



Blessing Number 5 has to be my mother. Known as Mur, Mimi, Mimi-Monet and Miss Betty - she goes by many monikers but she is always Mother to me. She has all my life been there for me in more ways than I can count. While we had a good relationship in the early day, today she has become my very best friend. Time spent with her these past few years have been a gift to us both. Now that she is married we see each other less often but our love for each other hasn't diminished. We will find a "new normal," as someone I love often says. This woman is my mentor, my personal angel, sent to me straight from God. Blessing Number 5.

There are of course other blessings in my life but for this post, today's purpose, these blessings are speaking to my heart. I am missing Bill and Elgin deeply this year but feel them here with us. Several visions of Elgin appeared at the hospital during Bob's darkest days. They are here, and I am so pleased to feel their presence.

Houses go away but people remain. This is a reminder to me, to my soul, of what is truly important. Merry Christmas my friends. Please remember to give lots of hugs this season. Oh, and special thanks to Jerry Jones of Shadowhouse Creations for the lovely textures.

Bell Mina, Alabama

Finally, finally, finally...I can respond to other's posts, seemingly, and can post photos in my blog. Thank you blogger folks for your help. Now....where was I? Ah yes. Meandering to the lake house on a glorious breezy sunny bodacious clouds scudding by kind of autumnal day. On a whim I drove through several small villages that have been in my heart since childhood. First stop - Bell Mina, Alabama, where people normally drive through without stopping and trains rumble by blowing their horns on their way elsewhere. There's not much there except quaint homes, dishevelled store fronts facing the railroad lines, boarded up buildings and the scent of antiquity. It is beautiful to me, in its uniqueness and authenticity.

Bell Mina Methodist Church

This is the Bell Mina Methodist Church. There's no date on the sign but it's really old. Probably late 1800's, early 1900's. Every Christmas the church members decorate the doors with greenery, fruits and berries. I mean to get photos but never have.

Bell Mina store front

I was a small child when my mom and her best friend dragged me here. At that time it was a store of some sort, bustling with business. The roads were dirt roads. Our car was one of only few; the rest being mule wagons and farmers. There was dust hanging in the air. The mules fascinated me, and I remember romanticizing those visions with something akin to Little House on the Prarie and Laura Ingalls. Most wagons were carrying crops in the back, occasionally added to by whatever the Missus picked up at the store. It was a different, foreign place to me. This vision, this visit has stayed with me all this time. I return to Bell Mina from time to time just to feel that feeling and remember. My mom bought a chandelier at this very store that hung above our dining table. I don't know what happened to it but it's been long gone.

Hahn Firetruck

While I was skipping down memory lane my eye caught this amazing, old firetruck off to the right. Well, I had to see it! Don't you love it's face?

Parked here so long ago that weeds are growing around its tires, this firetruck has great personality. It fits this place! While I was photographing it a fireman, who was nearly as old as the truck itself, walked (slowly) over from the fire station to ask if I was interested in buying it. Well, no, but it sure is pretty, isn't it? He didn't think so, but he wasn't romanticizing this place in his mind like I was. He lives there and that sorta says it all.

The old firetruck and old building, recently painted in glorious red, compliment each other perfectly. It was a fine day for meandering and reliving past memories. By the way, the building is for sale and the firemen would love to sell the antique firetruck. Any takers out there?

The Comfort Box

My buddy Diane recently wrote a wonderful post about a Simple Abundance passage concerning "comfort drawers." Check it out at Alberta Photography.

That particular book will never, ever gather dust at my house as it's constantly at my bedside and referred to often. I remembered the passage, read it again and thought about Diane's challenge. If I made a comfort drawer for myself I would never find it again, plus weird things would begin to show up in it like a screwdriver, old batteries, and lots of dog hair. I don't need a comfort drawer.....I need a vacation.

But I know someone who could use a comfort drawer these days - my mom. She has been through a couple of rough years physically and emotionally, but we think now that she's on the mend. She has finally, FINALLY received what we believe to be a correct diagnosis and medications that are actually working. It's been a journey for her. A scary journey, a frustrating journey, a maddening journey. Not a good journey. She needs a comfort drawer for those nights she still wakes in fear, thinking the worst in the dead of night all by herself, alone in the quiet with only demons whispering in her ears. She needs a comfort drawer.

However, like me my mom has precious little space in her cottage. So, instead of a comfort drawer I created for her a comfort box. I have these little wooden purses with pretty brass latches. They're lined with felt and ready to be filled with whatever one chooses. One became her comfort box.

My mom and I are what we call "sticks & twigs people." We find tremendous comfort in the gifts of our earth. Both of us bring home rocks and feathers, seed pods and seashells, driftwood and lichens and flotsam and jetsam from our travels. Mind, our travels could be the riverbank or the backyard. However, for my mom's comfort box I went through my various and many wooden bowls and boxes and baskets to retrieve items to remind her of our good times together. A hawk feather and "dove" (homing pigeon) feathers found in my yard here; rocks and shells and a mussel shell from our riverbank; scallop shells from our summers on Holden Beach, North Carolina, a rock and palm tree seeds from Bill & Elgin's yard in Arizona; Indian Bead Corn from the house I grew up in; a red buckeye seed pod from my yard here; a gold crystal bead that belonged to her mother. These items were wrapped in a handkerchief made by her Aunt Gracie that my mom gave to me long ago. These items were wrapped in the cloth, atop which I placed an old, small book of mine that she has always adored called "Springs of Oriental Wisdom."


Baylee and I took it over to her and presented it to her on the front porch. She was so surprised and delighted, taking out each and every piece while I explained to her where it came from and why it was included. She didn't cry, but instead laughed along with me as we relived some of the best times of our lives together. She'll add to it as we share more adventures together.

Before the stories began, she brought out a glass of wine and we "dinked" to our special bond and friendship. I've got the best mom in the world!