Saturday's Scribbles

It is a beautiful fall day here in our corner of the world.  Recently I read a post on Facebook that said, "My favorite color is October" and I have to agree.  I am embracing all the beauty of this season.  Some of the trees are really showing off!  The temps are up and down, but mostly up which is nice, too.  

Speaking of nice, yesterday we went on a little excursion very close to home.  I saw on an Iowa site that there are only two covered bridges in the state that are still accessible.  AND one of them is only 8 miles from our house!  So we headed over to Rock Falls, IA to go into the park where it is located.  What fun to see it.  Of course, Joel had to go underneath to see how it was constructed and supported. The bridge was completed in 1929.  It is located in a nice little park area where you can also camp or
ride trail bikes.  Who knew it was so close?!  

covered bridge in Wilkinson Pioneer Park

Covered bridge

Inside

A tree in the park

Last Sunday after church we headed to a nature reserve near town for a mile walk among the trees,  brush and paved paths.  A perfect day to be out enjoying fall, and within easy access to our house.  It is still good porch sitting weather, good biking weather too.  

Speaking of our house, it was 19 years ago today that we moved into this place we call home.  This is epic.  This is something we could not fathom....cuz.........well, before moving to Mason City we had never lived in one place longer than 6.5 years and in my life I have never lived in the same town longer than 7 years. ( an example?  In one year as a young child I went to three schools in three states..) For Joel it is 21 years on the home farm.  And here we are, living in the same house for 19 years!  A lot of work had to be done to this house to make it livable for us.  It had not been taken care of for years if not for ever.  Joel put a lot of work into it, the people we hired for floors, counters, etc. put a lot of work into it.  And some of our extended family put a lot of work into it!  It was a house I was reluctant to move into but Joel felt very strongly that God wanted us here and I began to see his vision.   He remembers standing on the back deck, which at the time was really unsafe,.....and "hearing" God speak to him giving him the sense that I would heal in this house.  My history since that day shows much sickness and disease but God has walked with me and healed me of Lyme, thyroid disease, chemical sensitivities, chronic fatigue syndrome, and a cyst through prayer alone, and from 4 bouts with cancer through medical treatments.  And there has been a lot of inner healing that has taken place...yeah.....healing has come.

The house has several levels and is really too big...we just don't need the space with our family seldom gathering here, BUT the stairs have kept us moving and the space is nice when winter, a pandemic, or sickness keeps a person confined.  We know some day we will say good-bye to this house and our neighbors, but right now we are so grateful to be able to own our own home in such a beautiful area, surrounded by great people.  Yeah....we are blessed.

Speaking of blessed, I am so grateful for the oral surgeon who will be removing a tooth for me.  I had a consult with him this week, but before him the endodontist.  Because of my medical history their conclusion was to remove the tooth and that will happen in early November.  No other option was acceptable I guess. Going to them pushes the pause button and reminds me, "Oh yeah, after the Lyme and cancers your immune system has a "limp" so my body needs careful attention.  And how grateful I am that they are so concerned.  We discussed a lot, once he hears from my oncologist and we have the go ahead, I will lose a tooth.  Aging.  Sigh.....

Speaking of aging, I find that when I go places, other people will stop cars for us to cross or even open doors and hold them for me.  This week a younger woman went striding past me with a look of determination, but then stopped as she opened the door and moved back to hold it for me.  What a kind gesture.  The same thing happened with a man going into the store this week at the same time as me.  There is still a lot of kind people out in our world who are kind.  It's a good thing.  

I am thankful today for specialists who care, for an immune system that keeps putting forth the effort, for an outing to a covered bridge, a nature center, and East Park.  Giving thanks for fall weather, 19 years in one house, the memories, and all the large windows that let views of nature into our home,  homemade wheat bread, walks, and bike rides for Joel.  Grateful for kind courteous people.  Grateful for phone calls, texts, Wordle connections, phones at our fingertips, our grands, children, and in-laws, extended family, and so much more.

Enjoy your weekend!

Saturday's Scribbles

 

Good Saturday on this first day of October!  This is pretty much my favorite month of the year regarding nature and all its beauty.  The leaves are starting to turn and some have even let go and are blanketing yards.  Our mums are blooming and our one geranium plant is still gracing us with a vibrant red as we sit on the porch.  The air is crisp in the morning but the sun is still warm when you bask in it.  And basking in it for a minimum of 15 minutes a day is what health experts tell us is necessary.  Ducks are starting to fly south and yesterday as Joel was porch sitting a flock of migrating robins came through. Last Sunday afternoon we drove 35 minutes to a pumpkin patch on a farm.  It was a bit disappointing for me, but we did see a few goats and chickens and little kids have a great time!  It was definitely a place for kids.  We ended up at a local market here in town where we bought two pumpkins and some gourds...and one yummy squash.

Porch Pumpkins

Gourds

Speaking of Fall, we have noticed our neighbors, including ourselves, have started to get those projects done that are needed before the snow comes.  It is also great biking and walking weather and paths are a place to greet others as they enjoy Fall.  For us it has been dry, with cool mornings and temps around 68 in the afternoons.  Just perfect.  And it is a perfect day for Joel to be off at Rendezvous Days about an hour from here in southern Minnesota.  His one day a year to enjoy all the creative experiences that go along with this 3 day event.  He goes for Saturday and comes home at night smelling like wood smoke, having eaten more than his fill of good things while watching the events of the day and listening to music, etc.  

Speaking of weather we cannot help but be aware of what has happened in Florida and now South Carolina.  Such devastation.  It will take years to reconstruct and will those who lived through the hurricane ever fully recover from the trauma?  We pray so.  The typhoons we went through in the Philippines were minor in comparison but I can remember the anxiety as the winds rose and the rain came so fast we had water coming into the house.  Joel was off working as a weather forecaster on the base on Thanksgiving when the worst one hit.  Our maid Amphy and myself stood each at a door with a broom and swept the water back out as it came in like a hose under the door,  Action and prayers were both necessary, and to be honest most of our experiences in The Philippines required action and prayer.  Not a bad combination.  Back to those affected by Hurricane Ian......you are in our thoughts and prayers.

Speaking of prayers, there were a lot of those last week as we waited for the results of an ultrasound after my oncologist felt something she could not define.  I got in right away for the test, but had to wait  4 days for the results as my doctor was out of the office.  My Oncologist is very thorough which means I have a "love-hate" relationship with her.  So thankful she checks out everything and so annoyed that she checks out everything.  Ha.....   I did okay until the woman taking the test asked me if it was me or the Dr. who felt the "lump"......guess that was written on the chart? I guess the word "lump" was hard to hear.  The test only took 10 minutes which was really fast.  I expressed that and the woman said, "Oh I "found it" right away!"  Found what???  Right??  I talked myself down off the ledge a few times by remembering the words God sent me on Facebook that spoke of God already being at work.  I just needed to trust and rest in knowing that.  Yeah.....He is a good good Father.  Always with me no matter what comes my way.  With GOOD results(a lymph node surrounded by scar tissue) we have been praying a lot of gratitude prayers that all is well.  In fact an x-ray taken showed the ribs to be healed and the blood work this time was great.  Iron levels excellent even with 1/2 the dose so we have been celebrating the good news and after 2 and 1/2 years of appointments every 3-4 months I am going now in 6 months.  Yippee!  Over the past year I have really come to appreciate each morning I get up and hear Joel say, "Morning, Missy" Isn't life precious?!  

Getting back to Ian hitting Florida and South Carolina, I texted a friend whom I met while living in the Philippines in 1974-76.  They live in South Carolina and were going to be hit by the force of Ian.  Seems she had suffered a heart attack recently.  She was recovering, thank God, and my mind could not help but go back to our time together.  We called each other "sisters in Christ" and even though I have not hugged her in person since the day we said good-bye at the airport, we will hug some day~!  As I have been writing about our two years there lately, I can only reiterate once again on how much those two years impacted our lives.  So blessed and grateful for the people we met, the experiences we had, the family we grew. 

Speaking of family I realized this week that three of our kids were married in October.  Happy Anniversary to all three couples!  May you be blessed with many many more years to come!  Happy Birthday to a granddaughter too.  Celebrations can be a daily occurrence when you add in anniversaries, birthdays, good medical reports, graduations, confirmations, and so much more!  Ha  

So today I am giving thanks that Joel is off at Rendezvous Days having a great time, that the weather is perfect for Fall, the oncology work up was all good news, biking and walking is still part of our days, October is here, pumpkins sit on the porch, bread is rising, birds are migrating, projects are getting done, Fall meals are on the menu, Florida and South Carolina are beginning their recovery, my friend H. is recovering, phone calls, texts, and communication with family is ongoing, and just so much more!

Enjoy your weekend!