BARN CHARM TUESDAY

BARN CHARM TUESDAY

While traveling a two lane road to Manistee last year I took this photo of an old run down barn that was on it's way out. I noticed another smaller one in just about  as bad a shape. I loved the shape of the smaller one. The large one had a tin roof. The roof will outlast the building despite the bad winters they have there. 

On the way back home I spotted this one..

It was used as advertising and for their farm. Place was pretty busy. I never stopped but here is the LINK so you can see what they sell. I must check it out if I get back in that area. 

For here.. we are looking at another storm to come through..this time maybe 4-6 inches of new white stuff. Me.. I will wait and see they keep changing the forecast several times a day.

REMINISCING....

 I came across a

box I had stored all my many journals in recently. I have mentioned here before

that I have kept them since 1976. I found that one book was missing and was

heart broken, it led me into a panic trying to find it. A whole day later 

I remembered that that particular one had vanished in a move from Ca.

to Michigan. Number Two chapter started in 1979!!

In opening the second chapter,

I notice that my handwriting was pretty good. Better than it is now. I type so

much now that my actual handwriting has really suffered a lot.I was taking tests at college and going on interviews and at a loss for what direction to take. Wondering if I should make a move back to Michigan. "Looking for work is harder than working" I wrote, so true even more today.

There really are 28 chapters..28 is not yet finished) probably never will be as

I have taken to putting everything on computer now. The way of the handwritten journal is fading for me at least. I blog and keep track of things that way, and only write in the journals really significant things that happen in my life. 

In one chapter I wrote...

"Little did I know that because I WASN’T working, I would be able to make

a trip to Santa Barbara where SUE lived. Friends from  my hometown came by on

their vacation and offered me a ride there with them. I literally had

minutes to throw a suitcase together and be on my way. I had no idea

what would happen, but I knew it would be an adventure! I always

am up for one of those because you haven’t planned and don’t know

how they will go."

 I spent 12 days in Santa Barbara according to this chapter.

“It was never my intention to stay more than a week. So much had happened

and so much was packed into those days that they really just flew by.”

The memories of those warm summer days and

the sneezing from the kitten that SUE had then, will always be with

me. Cool foggy mornings near the Pacific were so strange compared

to the valley where I had been staying. The larger city and the

whole culture shock of a seaside town was so different than

anything I had ever experienced.

Ours is not to question why things happen the way they do. I was there for a

reason that I just did not know about. If you believe in fate at all,

it sure came to pass in those 12 days. On my way home on the bus I had

plenty of time to think about how my life was going to go on from there.

Job opportunities were there in Santa Barbara, but back then hard to find

something in such a short timespan. Less than a month later I was

winging my way back to Michigan for a visit, and developed Bronchitis

two days after getting there.. a few days later it went to full blown

pneumonia. Why the heck did I leave Ca. so fast kept

running through my mind?  
More later....

ALL GOOD THINGS....

All good things must eventually come to an end or so they say..our week long visit in St. Croix ends and we return home to cold stateside.  I dread the shovel we might have to use or the heavy coats we have to haul out to wear. Maybe it's time to think about being a snow bird. "SNOWBIRD" meaning..

A snowbird is someone from the U.S. Northeast, U.S. Midwest, Pacific Northwest, or Canada who spends a large portion of winter in warmer locales such as California, Arizona,Florida, Texas, the Carolinas, or elsewhere along the Sun Belt region of the southern and southwest United States, Mexico, and areas of the Caribbean. Well we can dream anyway..most cannot afford to have two residences to care for. If I were a snowbird where would I go for winter?? Hmmm any suggestions welcome here.            

                                          

I lived in California for 20 years, and where I was there was little change in season. It was either green and lush or dry and brown. Rain and fog or hot and hotter. No trees changing colors or sight of snowflakes unless you went TO them. You could drive to the ocean,or the mountains in winter. Nice..but pretty expensive to live there. When I returned to Michigan I found that my blood must have thinned a lot because I was freezing and others were laughing at me wearing a sweatshirt in 70 degree weather. Took at least 4 or 5 years to get used to the cold temperatures. My first winter was TERRIBLE. I just could not get warm no matter what I did. Christmas was wonderful...all white and peaceful looking..until I had to snow blow the driveway. Ahhhh I realized why I had moved to warmer territory after all. 

Well I would have to think hard on where I would want to live, is there anywhere that has a happy medium? The climate being what it is and so many  global warming changes, we all may be in a more warm zone sooner than we think. 

HOPE YOU ALL HAVE A WONDERFUL WEEKEND!! 

GONE SWIMMING...

WATCH THIS VIDEO FOR HIGHLIGHTS OF OUR  VIRTUALTRIP...SUCH A WONDERFUL TIME ..I loved the water and the warmth. I found the driving on the left kind of strange but got used to it if someone else was doing the driving..that boat was really rocking at some times, but smooth sailing at others. This video is short and covers our trip just great. Someone left their goggles and flippers in the boat..that's a no no.. but looks like 

 

 Joe is ready for a swim!!

We must hurry back though and get ready for our Valentine's dinner on the beach.

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY TO YOU ALL!!

YO HO HO..OFF WE GO!!

Today we are at Buck Island, St Croix.. it's so gorgeous here. We are going on a charter cruise and doing some snorkeling. Sounds like fun. Clicking the link above you can go on the one minute tour and see some of the special scenery. 

I am not telling on any one of us..but ONE person in our group got a pretty bad sunburn yesterday. OUCH!! Hmmm don't think they will go swimming today so we might end up in the Sunny Isle Shopping center. We will stop and get some lunch 

I truly could sit here all day and enjoy the scenery but the CASINO awaits us!!

It is so regal looking..the front entrance looks fantastic. I hope we have luck inside and maybe we can manage to stay a few more days on the islands!

REST UP.... TOMORROW IS ANOTHER GREAT DAY 

ON THE ISLAND!!