Thankful Thursday.

WIFI and TV service was out all day on Wednesday!!

My deepest apologies to everyone who had joined Joyce's Hodgepodge yesterday...  Just after I had posted...the WIFI and TV service in our area went out and was off all day long!!  I could not read post and could not comment.  

I'll give this another try today by joining Michelle @ It's a small town life.     Thankful Thursday.

I am thankful for Breast Cancer Awareness!!🩷💕🩷

October always brings a little more pink into our days....on ribbons, T-shirts, ballfields, storefronts, and social feeds.  Not because pink alone changes the world, but because it reminds us to link arms for something that touches so many lives: Breast Cancer Awareness and the beautiful web of support wrapped around it. 

This October, may our gratitude turn into action, our awareness into compassion, and our pink ribbons into real-life support...

Meals delivered, rides offered, hands held, prayers prayed.  🩷

May October fill your hearts with Peace... 

Shug 🩷

PS:  I will be away from my computer until Sunday night.. guess this means I will be away from blog world for a few days!  love y'all 

Welcome October and a Hodgepodge

 Welcome October... and the Wednesday Hodgepodge:

Welcome October! 🍂

You arrive with a gentle whisper of cooler air, golden leaves, and the promise of change......

Hello Friends.....today is Wednesday and you guessed it....this means it is time for the Hodgepodge!!

Joyce asks the questions.

We answer the questions. 🍁

1.  What's your favorite fall scent? Would we find this in or around your home right now?

My favorite fall scent is Cinnamon Stick...

and this particular scent is flowing through our home right now!!  I actually have a bag full of plug in's and they are delivering their scent throughout the house!!

2. October is Country Music Month....are you a fan of Country Music? Do you have a favorite country artist? Every been to Nashville? In terms of lifestyle are you more country mouse or city mouse?

I am a huge fan of Country Music...however, I am very selective on the songs that I listen to...  I am really turned off by the songs that are all about whiskey and drinking...(I know, you find this in SOOOO Many of the Country songs) I prefer Christian Country Music!

Cody Johnson is my favorite right now!!  I would love to see him in concert.  I do like the older artist as well.  

I have been to Nashville...I've even been to the Grand Ole' Opry!  Love Nashville.

I am most definitely a Country Mouse! Visiting the busy Cities can be nice, but my heart lives in the Country!

3.  How about 'Country cooking'? (loosely defined as rich flavors, familiar foods, large portions, often fried, and often associated with the Southern region of the US of A)?

chicken and dumplings-fried chicken-shrimp and grits-biscuits and gravy-mac and cheese-fried green tomatoes-cornbread-collard or turnip greens-deviled eggs-'barbecue'-gumbo-banana pudding

Which of these foods listed is your favorite? Any on the list you haven't tried or would say a firm no thank you to if offered?

Goodness...my favorite is ALL OF THIS LIST!

Southern indeed.... we rarely eat Fried foods!

Although, I have had my fair share of fried chicken, fried green tomatoes, and chicken fried steak.  

I would not turn down any of these dishes if placed in front of me!!  But I would add a tall glass of iced sweet tea.  

4.  What's something that always has a positive impact on your mood? 

No doubt, antiquing is one thing that always refreshes my soul.  Another positive impact for me is decorating!!  I love to decorate our home, our yard, or any place I can find that I can add a tad of color or a simple change....

5.  As we say so long to September, share a noun, a verb, and adjective that tells us something about how that month looked for you.  

Whirlwind.....

September was a whirlwind...It was jam-packed, lively, noisy, cheerful, dizzying, surprising, delightful, wobbly and downright unforgettable. 

Between weddings, showers, birthday parties, and even a few sniffles tossed in for good measure, it felt like the month was running on double speed. If months could talk, September would have shouted.....

"Buckle up...here we go!" 🎉

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

Today , October 1st, would have been my parents 77th wedding Anniversary.  

I am so very thankful for the strong love that they shared.  

Even beyond this life, 

their love whispers softly, 

a story that time cannot silence, 

A bond that will never fade. 

Wishing you all a very blessed day.

Shug...

The Dash

About this post:  As I passed by the headstone of a dear relative of mine, I almost felt such a sense of sorrow.  This relative was very wealthy and there was nothing of earthly matter that they had need of.  There is nothing great about the headstone and for any stranger passing down the asphalt road at the cemetery, they would never be able to distinguish that this person lived a life of NO wants.  They had everything they wanted! 

No matter how high we climb in life, or how much gold we tuck away, the road eventually bends towards the same resting place. To the cemetery we all must go...not because of poverty, not because of loneliness, but simply because we are human. The stone will mark our beginning and our end, and the ground will cradle both the rich and the poor alike.  

This past weekend, after my country drive, I found myself slowly driving through our small town cemetery.  I wasn't in a hurry...instead, I let my eyes linger over the rows of headstones, each one marking a life once lived.  Names I recognized, names I didn't, but all connected in some way to the fabric of this little town.  Families tied together through marriages, friendships and generations of stories. 

As I looked across the quiet resting place, one thing struck me: every single stone carried two dates. The day someone entered this world, and the day they left it. That was it! Whether a person lived 30 years or 90, whether their life was filled with abundance or simplicity, ALL THAT REMAINS CARVED IN STONE IS A BIRTH DATE, A DASH, AND A DEATH DATE!

That dash so small and simple holds the entire story. Thoughts ran through my mind of how that single dash represents laughter and tears, struggles and victories, love and loss. It's the reminder that what truly matters is not how long the dash is, or how much wealth, fame or status someone carried during it.  

As I passed my parents grave and viewed their headstone, I was reminded of their warmth, their kindness, their love for one another and their love for the Lord. These are the kind of things that ripple beyond their lifetime of exactly what that dash stands for. 

In the end, we are all equal there in that quiet place. Headstones standing side by side, each one whispering the same truth: Our days are numbered, but what we do with the dash between them is what truly defines us.  I saw a HUGE expensive headstone, full of accolades etched on the back of the tall standing black marble.  Standing next to it was a small, older stone, covered in stains as it had weathered over the years.  

What I noticed was that the small headstone had an American Flag etched on it. And in that moment, I realized the size of the stone or the length of the words didn't matter nearly as much as the life represented. One told of earthly achievements, the other quietly spoke of sacrifice and service.....the unseen moments of love, courage, and legacy that can't be captured on a stone.  

As I left the cemetery, I carried a gentle reminder with me.....LIVE well inside the dash!  The dash is nothing new..we've all read about how important life is inside this dash that will someday be placed on our own headstones.  For me, this drive through the cemetery was a devotion, speaking to my heart to spend my days..... writing my dash as a life worth remembering.  

Shug...

"To the cemetery we all must go, 

Through fields of peace where soft winds blow.

Not for the poor, nor wealth's grand call, 

Because time's hand will touch us all.

The stone will whisper of birth and rest, 

Two simple dates, a life expressed.

And in that silence, love will stay,

For hearts remembered never fade away. 

Sunday afternoon Recap

Sunday afternoon, I decided to take a good 0ld-fashioned country drive. I would have loved to have been able to roll the windows down to allow the air to flow through my car, but it was just a little too warm outside to do this.  I was on a mission!! Surely somewhere out there the leaves were starting to change.  Spoiler Alert: they were not!! Every tree I passed was still as green as it was back in July, just a little more tired looking. 

What I did see, though, was an endless parade of "ragweed."  Some people like to dress it up and call it "goldenrod," but what I really refer to it as is a "Public Enemy!"  This one single plant that grows so wild around here, is the reason so many people are sneezing and coughing right now....including me!  This is Pollen season and the ragweed is running the show around here right now.  The heads are just now filling out, which tells me there will be many more weeks of "Ahh-chooing and snorting, sniffling and eye watering waterfalls.  

I did see a couple of pumpkins perched proudly on a fence.....looking like the only real hint of fall. This was a high fence, so it kinda looked like the pumpkins were being Fall  cheerleaders, silently shouting...."hang on y'all, cooler weather is coming....EVENTUALLY."

My little country drive was very nice, even if I may have talked to myself once or twice...lol. Sometimes a solo country drive is just the therapy a person needs.  

And now here we are ..... Monday morning.  Our forecast says temps will stay in the 90's all week long.  Ninety degrees!  This means more watering of my pot plants outside and it also means my air conditioner will continue running.  I will also be sipping more iced tea while many of you will be pulling out your hot cocoa cups. 

Not a bad view for a gorgeous Monday morning....These "Turks Caps" have really been showing off the past couple of weeks and the hummingbirds are enjoying this sweet snack as they travel south.  

No matter how you start your day...know that you are loved...

Shug!