Gulah traditions

The slaves brought their natural trades and languages from the lands from which they were stolen. Today the Gulah tradition is kept alive by their descendants. Basket weaving is one trade. They sell their wares anywhere, along side the road from trucks, or along the road in three-sided shanties but roughly of wood, in the welcome center, or in a parking lot.

Storytelling is another craft that has remained alive. There were many tapes and books that could be purchased. I didn't buy any this time. I left that for another time.

More pictures are in the picture album Gulah Traditions.

A Place at the Beach - Windy HIll

See the photo album for more pictures!

We stayed at the hotel, now made into individual units, called A Place and the Beach, at Windy Hill. It was off of Windy Hill road ( of course). We were on the 5th floor facing the ocean. It was great! I got up every morning and looked out at the ocean the first thing. The red pants in the one photo is where our room was located. Wednesday of our vacation was hot - 93 degrees. Even the locals stayed out of the afternoon sun that day. Normal temps for that time of year is about 10 degrees cooler. I didn't mind - I jut stayed in the AC while Ken went golfing. The triangle picture is looking down between the railings from the 5th floor.

It's good to be home!

It was too good for words sleeping in our bed alongside the gentle snores of Ken. I'd forgotten how good our bed feels. It taking me a while to get off of work schedule time. I kept thinking yesterday that I had to work today. Maybe tomorrow will be better.

Pumpkin, our cat was very mad at me though for going away. I crawled into bed and something was wet. Pumpkin peed on the bed! EWWWWW! Good thing the mattress pad has a plastic liner! The bed didn't get wet thank goodness. I pulled everything off and put crisp, clean sheets and blankets on the bed. The electric blanket felt really great since it was chilly last night. Pumpkin likes the electric blanket on the bed too. He snuggled up on the bed by our feet all night.

Buster was glad to be home from Katrina's - but he misses Harley all ready.He keeps wanting us to play with him. He wants to chase the shadows like to does the laser light. He's followed me everywhere this morning. We played fetch, catch the treat (while I was walking on the treadmill), then fetch some more. He's bugging Ken right now to wrestle.
I had a great time on vacation (more to come on that at a later date) and working at Beaver Valley (more there too.). so watch for more posts.
Love you all!
Me

Myrtle Beach '06

Vacation was awesome! We came back with NO, I repeat NO stress!!! Ten years is just tooooooo long to wait for a vacation! I will put up a few picks today but I took over 1,000 pics and need to organize them. The ocean was too good for words. The weather was like stepping back into the first part of August. Charleston gives new meaning to the words "George Washington slept here." because he truly did sleep in a number of the houses we saw! Fort Sumpter was so different than St. Augistine in Florida. The flags really got to me. The fort flew a replica of all the flags that flew at the fort during it's history. Inside the museum, the unit flag and the first American flag were displayed in cases. It was like looking at a very old quilt. I was speechless. The carraige ride through the oldest part of Charleston was so interesting. The old history classes just came to life. it was hard to leave the area and we will be back again for another vacation.

Jordyn's first soccor game!

It was so much fun! Jordyn was nervous but that's ok. When she wasn't paying attention to us she was having fun! With her long legs she's a great runner.

Jordyn was on the green team. She played against the yellow team. The ref was a young teenage or maybe pre-teen soccer player dressed in blue. There were several good soccer moments when the teams tried to steal the ball. Here's the play-by-play.

Tweeeeet! The green team faced off against their rivals the yellow team. Here's the first kick! Yellow kicked the ball to Green. Green kicked it back. Then Yellow fell over the ball taking Green with him. Yellow stood up and looked at Mom to see if he was hurt and shouild cry. Mom yelled, "run after the ball!'. Yellow did just that.

Yellow. Green. Yellow. Three palyers fall over the ball. Out of bounds. Throw the ball into play. Stop for Dad to tie a shoe lace. Good Hustle! Green scores!! Yellow tries to rally. Green scores. Yellow. Green. Yellow scores! More out of bounds. Half time. Then do it all over again. Final Green 5. Yellow 1.

8

OK, Shel tagged me with the number 8. I have to write 8 things about myself then pass it on.
Ok, this is a bit harder than it looks. It's hard to narrow down.
I can now eat non-peanut butter peanut butter! (It's soy butter! But it's passed the dog and kid tests! Both the dog and the grandkids like it! And it tastes like creamy peanut butter!)
That was one.

Two.
I hate to talk about myself.

3.
I love to do crafty things.
I quilt, crochet, knit, scrapbook, work with digital photos...stuff like that.

Four.
I funny but I can't tell a joke.
I do better on the spontaneous ad-lib.

Five.
Ok this is a lot harder than I thought at first.
This is no surprise to my kids...I love watching anything with Don Johnson it it!

6. Most movies are "not-mom-rated" for me.
That is why I love watching the kid movies. There isn't guts, car crashes or other yucky stuff going on!

Seven.
I love to garden.
Although you couldn't tell it by my weed patches this year. The weeds are taller than the tomato plants!

8. Oh the number that started this brain to thinking...I used to write stories and poetry.
Willy the Worm, The Haunted Mansion, all sorts of things. I might even have them tucked away some where, packrat that I am!
Now it's youre turn to e-mail me back!

HOT! HOT! HOT!

And no it is NOT like the song. That's just what the weather's been for the last two weeks! I hope I remember all this heat in February when I'll be freezing everything off!

So the heat has kept me indoors more than usual. The good thing about that is I've finished Brannon's blue jean quilt (after 7 years), almost finished Katrina's fairy quilt and a few Christmas presents. Brannon's quilt is about 10' by 10' so it fits his waterbed. And is it every h-e-a-v-y! I'd guess it's close to 10 pounds.

Summer Fun '06

Georgia has been here for three weeks. The last week her granddaughters came to visit. They sure had fun in the water. Check out the photo compilation of their fun in the sun below!

Loosing myself

"I did not lose myself all at once. I rubbed out my face over the years washing away my pain, the same way carvings on stone are worn down by water.” -- Amy Tan

What have you washed away today? What have I washed away today? Only parts of me...ever so slowly. And to not rub away the pain means to deal with it--scary parts and all. And if I only deal with the scary parts one washing at a time then the scary parts don't appear to be so gigantic. So for today, I'll wash one scary part away to reveal the true, beautiful me.

Joleen and Juan

Ok, this is not the greatest picture because I didn't give them any notice and indication to smile.

They really do both have beautiful smiles. I love to hear them laugh too!