This is me, and I am trying to learn how to Edit with Elementor, but as I have heard I am either an old dinosaur, or an old dog and you can not teach me new tricks! I know I am computer challenged, but I am always trying to do my best. There may be a post for a moment, then it disappears because I accidentally hit the wrong button. But, I am ever plodding along! :)Jen
My husband used to laugh when I said my phone was acting up because he definitely knew there would be over 3000 photos of family, our farm animals, family, bugs, family, sunrises, family, our trees, family! Smile all of you who can relate! I love my family and I love capturing our precious times together!
This past year and this year held a sad moment when we found out my dad has liver cancer. His days are numbered, and we are now waking each day knowing we are blessed with another day with him, but my dad is ready to leave this world. He asked Jesus in to his heart when I was five years old, and he was 35. My dad and mom prayed together, serving the Lord as a pastoral family all these years. He is 83 years old and every day he asks if you have asked Jesus to come in to your heart. Are you saved? My dad is not embarrassed about his faith. In one of these photos, even though he did not feel well, and still had not been diagnosed, he put on makeup for Halloween and carefully made his way out to the back patio with my mom. So I may take a lot of photos, but I find a precious story in each one when I scroll back through them.
Last Halloween, 2020, my husband and I, decided to go all out with decorations and food! He spent time on the Halloween potion bottles and I loved seeing his cool and creative decorating ideas. Every part of our home and property had a decoration. Pumpkins were all over the front steps and the steps in our dining room. We wanted our home to be the place for our kids to bring our grandkids to eat, play, and trick-or-treat without having to go door to door. And, we wanted those very special memories to hold on to with our whole family and friends.
We are blessed every day with a new day. Even though these days lately are emotional and sad, we still have beautiful times to remember, cherish, and to make even more precious memories together. Amen!
The title, NEAKY NAKE, for Sneaky Snake, brings fond memories back of my mom saying this when I was growing up. My parents and I lived in Indiana, Illinois, Tennessee, and Nebraska. Then Colorado, Florida, and back to Tennessee with my husband, kids, and my parents. Never have I seen as many snakes as I do on our Tennessee farm! They have no doubt been there all along, just hiding. When I saw this snake, even though I was scared, I smiled fondly remembering this title and my mom’s voice as she would say, “The Neaky Nake. “
The Rat Snake, probably, was waiting to pass through our farm and head to the dry creek bed. The pups and I had walked back and forth several times watering flowers, adding Miracle Gro as we went. Our last trip was to retrieve milk from the Green’s Lab. Lucky for me, I saw the snake before walking right up on her. And, possibly for the snake, as my daughters say, “She is just as scared of you Momma and just wants to move on.” Trying to imagine her slithering away, I can only picture the snake laughing at my fright.
Since I am terrified of snakes, the photo is extremely poor, but taken and sent in a text to our two oldest daughters. Always a mystery to me, I have mentioned before, the two of them love snakes, but are terrified of Bee’s. Living in Middle Tennessee, we have a continual swarm of all types of Bee’s and Wasps, but maybe wherever you live is the same. The girls move around in a strange dance, eyes wide, making their way to the safety of the house for just one Wasp. I laugh, but I am the same with snakes.
In the middle of May and I find myself still raking Fall leaves and running the lawn mower over their crinkly souls. Just the thought that they are returning to the ground to help something else grow makes me not feel so slow in time. Might Winter be hiding and laughing around a corner of the house? Yes, she is and brings with her a gust of wind to send the leaves all scattered again. Will the farm catch up to Spring, just to find we should have already stepped in to Summer?
The grass is getting cut once a week. The trees limbs are almost heavy with leaves, barely able to remember their non-dressed days. One Maple tree held on to her old self, refusing to let go of last year. Grudgingly she allowed Spring to give her the Summer attire. Her leaves try to stay in crevices, under large stones, and pile upon new growth, taking over the new life a plant wants to display.
This tree is among many on our farm, but she helped me realize that I need to let go of past memories that bring me down. Let them fall away, and really remember all the precious memories of our family and being together. Welcome in new life and step forward with a smile. We have been blessed and have more blessings yet to arrive. The Lord Jesus is in my heart, but how would anyone know if I do not shed my anger, and sadness, and present JOY, Trust, Hope, which strengthens my Faith in HIM.
New O'Hana Farm TN 