Strawberry Moon

Hello friends

I know I have been MIA for awhile. I have been very busy with work. I guess that is a good thing or I would simply curl up in a ball in my closet and bawl my eyes out over everything going on in our world right now. I know that things will be better I know this world and our people have the ability to be better. As a whole we can do this but it must start with each of us. Never forget.

I am having a weekend off and I am really enjoying it. I took pictures last night of the Strawberry Moon. The weather yesterday was a bit unpredictable. The sun came out and then the rain came and then sun again. I had no idea what it was going to be like by 9:30 PM last night.

I got off work and grabbed a pizza on the way home for me and Mark. I will have to say yesterday was one of the most stressful days I have ever had at work in all my years at my job. It was just a series of things that kept getting worse as the day wore on. Not anything major like an accident or anything like that but just CRAZY!!! issues that had to be handled and it seemed like each issue grew and grew and grew before it was taken care of. You know what I mean right?

I wasn’t even sure if I would be able to set up the tripod and camera and even attempt to take any pictures. But I did. Being at home with the family has a way of calming me and like I told you awhile back I am trying to leave work at work. Yesterday was really a challenge on that.

So back to the Strawberry Moon. Several parts of the country were able to see a partial penumbral eclipse, this is when part of the moon moves through the Earth’s outer shadow. This makes a part of the moon seem dimmer. The Strawberry Moon eclipse will be visible above Asia, Australia, Europe, and Africa. So though here in the US we did now see this event the moon was to appear maybe a little darker or reddish than it normally does when full. I was excited to see it.

June’s moon is called the Strawberry Moon because it comes during strawberry season. Also it is known as the final spring full moon, The Honeymoon, because so many people get married in June. Native Americans also refer to it as the Flower Moon, Hot Moon, Hoe Moon, and Planting Moon.

Around 9:00 I had my camera and tripod set up to move out onto the deck as soon as I could see the moon. The clouds wonderfully parted and around 9:30 I glanced up and there it was!!! It was gorgeous. I jumped out of the chair and grabbed the tripod, the camera was already mounted, and ran out onto the deck. I positioned the camera but for a few minutes I just had to stare at the moon it was so beautiful. I took many many pictures. I stayed out for about an hour or so and during that time the moon changed seemingly in color and depth. There was a slight breeze blowing and it was beautiful, romantic and hopeful. I hope you enjoy these pictures:

What Day is This?

Happy Tuesday,

If you live in the U.S. you are probably thinking this is Monday because yesterday was Memorial Day so there was a three day weekend. Well for some of you I suppose. I am usually off every weekend but because we are just opening back up after quarantine and the closing of non essential businesses, I have worked the last two weekends. It usually works out that either me or my husband have to work on most holidays so we don’t always celebrate them when they happen. We will make it up. That’s not the real reason for Memorial Day anyway.

This was taken in Madisonville TN at the Flag Memorial Site.

Let us not forget the true meaning of Memorial Day. Memorial Day, observed the last Monday in May, honors the men and women who died in service to their country.

To say that life has been a little crazy around here would be an understatement. It seems as though I barely get home and to bed and it is time to do it all over again. When I do have a day off it is usually filled with grocery shopping, getting supplies for my mother in law, laundry etc etc. You know the drill. My house now looks pre quarantine, my shrubs look shaggy, ahhhh the time I spent in quarantine was not bad just the reason for it was bad.

I try to do something fun when I am at home to take my mind off of work and things. And you know what that is? I knit. knitting always makes me relaxed unless it is a really complicated knitting pattern, which I do not do if I am trying to relax. I usually carry a ball of yarn and knitting needles with me at all times. I can knit while I am waiting in line at the drive through at the bank, which can take a really long time now since that is the only way to do your banking. The lobby inside of most banks are still closed. I knit while waiting on take out. I knit on my lunch break at work. Just those few minutes of pushing a knitting needle through the yarn and making stitches is just so soothing.

I love these colors and the yarn is so squishy soft. I can’t wait to see the finished scarf.

I usually do a really simple scarf pattern or a dish cloth pattern that requires almost no thinking or even looking at the knitting. I have a lot of these that I have knitted and I am thinking about signing up for a craft fair in the fall where I will set up a small booth and sell my wares. We shall see.

I have made so many of these wash cloths, dish cloths whatever you want to use them for. They are made with 100% cotton yarn and they are the best for washing your face or your dishes if that’s what you want them for. This one is only half finished I will show you what it looks like when It is finished.

I finally got my hair done today. As soon as the Salon that I go to opened up I called for an appointment. So did several other hundred maybe a thousand people, who knows. Anyway it took me almost three weeks to get in!!! I may or may not have used that L’Oreal Root Touch Up to get me through. It’s good stuff, enough said. I was starting to look a little like Grace Slick from Jefferson Starship. But you know? when I got to the Salon I decided I kinda liked my long hair and I found myself saying, ” only cut abut an inch”. I think I will keep it this length. Ask me how this is going in another month and we will see. My grandma Rose had long hair that she could sit on. She kept it wrapped up tightly in a ball on top of her head. I don’t ever remember seeing it down but my older brothers and sisters say that she let them brush it from time to time.

I hope you are doing well and being safe and enjoying you and your loved ones. Mark had a Vanderbilt appointment via Zoom and blood work at our local hospital. It really beat the long four hour drive to Nashville. All looked great and the kidney is still going strong. Molly still has an ear problem that we just can’t seem to clear up. Poor girl it seems like I am constantly looking at her ears. She is such a gentle soul. If you missed my post about my magnificent Molly you can read it here.

Some wonderful news I am having lunch with my sisters tomorrow. I haven’t seen them in almost two and a half months. We are having Sister Lunch. I did a blog about this and if you missed it check it out here. I can’t wait to see my sisters and solve all the world’s problems.

Have a wonderful week!!!

Always remember

Love your day your way!!!

And Then Time Stopped.

Have you been tested for COVID-19? The tests are free and they are done now quite frequently. In the beginning you could only be tested if you had symptoms even if you had been directly exposed. It could take days to get scheduled for a test and then up to a week to get the results.

With more and more tests becoming available all of that has changed, in our area anyway, I am assuming it is everywhere. People are encouraged to get tested before returning to work, if they have been exposed to someone who has tested positive or had been around someone who has tested positive.

I spent a lot of time in quarantine. I wear my mask. I have been very very careful. I haven’t been anywhere I haven’t had to be. I haven’t been to a restaurant in over three months. I just got take out for the first time a couple of weeks ago. So I have felt fairly safe. The virus was sort of a bad dream that was in the back of my mind. I knew it was real but I didn’t know anyone who had even tested positive. Sure I watched the news and saw and heard the horror stories but I also knew a lot was being told that might not be true.

And then last week I had to hit the brakes. I received a text that someone I had been in contact, even though it probably wasn’t even within six feet, had been in contact with someone who had tested positive. I froze, what should I do? Should I wait until they got tested and see if they were positive? I called our local health department, I have a friend who works there and she said yes better to get tested and be safe, and set up a time for a test that afternoon. Luckily we had not opened back up at work at this time.

I went to the health department and joined the line of cars with people waiting to be tested. It took about thirty minutes to get to the tent where the nurses were administering the tests. It was really warm that day and they had on head to toe covering with a mask and a plastic shield over their faces. I felt so much compassion for them. They were hot. It was dusty from all of the cars going through. But the nurse doing the tests came bouncing out to the car and did my test quickly and with a kind word and such a great attitude. I then went on my way. They told me I should find out the next day but because it was a weekend it might take an extra day. It did.

I went home and started to worry about my husband, who takes immunosuppressants. I knew that I had been around him all week and if I tested positive then he probably would too. It almost seemed like time had stopped. I could barely think rationally.

I will say that even though I thought the odds were low that I would test positive I still had that worry in the back of my mind. I tried to stay busy on Sunday to keep my mind off of it. Early Monday morning the fear that I felt had escalated. I was doing the what if? what if? Just a couple of hours later the health Department called and told me I was negative. I couldn’t believe the relief that I felt.

I had to think about my friend Lori who works at our local hospital in the ER department. She is on the front line and she has been tested a couple of times. I know how she worries each time. It doesn’t stop her from doing her job day after day. These people amaze me and I am so very appreciative of them. Their fear is an everyday thing.

I guess there is nothing to say to tie this up in a neat bow. I am trying to say that the fear is real, the threat is still there. It really hit home with me when I was tested. And I expect, before this situation gets better, I may have to be tested again.

The Day Lilies are blooming. New growth always makes me feel hopeful.

Please be safe.

Always remember,

Love your day your way (But be safe)

Work, Sleep, Repeat

Hello friends how are you? I have been back at work now for a few weeks. I feel that all I get done is working and sleeping. I hate to say that I miss quarantine but man things were so much simpler then. Don’t get me wrong I am glad to be back to work and doing things day to day that I have done all my life. However, the quiet time that I spent in quarantine was not bad. I had a chance to recharge, reenergize, rediscover, etc. etc. It was an easier way of life.

My work opened back up Saturday. We had a soft opening with very few customers. All of our employees are required to wear masks. We have sanitizing stations throughout the property. We have 4×8 feet panels of Lexan, it is better than Plexiglas, between the registers and our customers. Only ten people per tour. I guess this is our new normal for awhile.

I have had so many things to deal with at work, when I get home I feel mentally unable to do anything but eat dinner and catch up for a minute with my husband, care for the fur babies and collapse on the couch or go straight to bed. Luckily this is all I have to do right now.

During the time I spent in quarantine I noticed that my stress level had gone down considerably. I mentioned that in a previous post. I decided then that when I did get back to work full time I was going to leave work at work. And that once I got home, home would be my sanctuary and a place to rest and relax. I have done pretty well. This helps me to recharge and be ready to start the next day.

Of course I always take time to stop along the road and take pictures. That will never change.

This field is full of yellow wild flowers. It makes the entire field look yellow. I love it.

My daisies. I love having them for as long as I can. They last for only a short time. I have an entire field of them behind my house.

Fields of hay. I love the look. I can stare at these bales for hours. I am quite intrigued by them for some reason.

And now the honeysuckle are blooming. A sweet welcoming smell.

I think that taking pictures is sort of an outlet for me. No matter what is going on in this crazy world some things like nature and beauty never change.

A friend that I know from another attraction quite suddenly quit her job last week. She had only been back to work for a week. She had been at this job for about fifteen years. She said that being quarantined had made her realize how much her stress level had been reduced. She didn’t want to go back. Man, that is pretty powerful. I don’t think I have the courage nor the means to do that. I am not sure about her financial situation but she is not near retirement age. Oh well!! If it works for her it works. I am happy for her and maybe a little jealous. I always thought I wanted to work forever but after being at home for three weeks I am not so sure. I love being out around people I always have, but there is something to be said about the solitude of being at home and nowhere to go. Ahhhhh life where will you lead me? I shall see. It will be an adventure no matter what.

Always remember

Love your day your way!!!