One Week After 9/11 8th Anniversary

On my prayer walk this morning (#36) I was thinking, have we forgotten one week after the 8th anniversary of 9/11...my neighbors haven't! We need to always remember 9/11 and how it brought unity and goodness back into our country. I am proud to be an American where at least I know I'm free!

Photography Road Trip

My friend, Cherie, and I went on a photography road trip earlier this week. Photography road trips can be quite an adventure...like getting on the wrong road and ending up on one of the windiest roads in our area, not to mention it seemed to never end. Photography road trips are fun as we never know what we might find to photograph. This day was especially pretty with puffy clouds filling the sky.

Prayer Walk & Storm

Some of you may know already, that I have challenged myself to a daily prayer walk. Finished #32 consecutively. The photos below are from walk #29 this past Saturday. It was a beautiful sunrise and later in the morning we had a thunderstorm. I have added the YouTube video from that morning (reminds us the season is changing), with stills and video, if you'd like to check it out. Click on the title "Prayer Walk & Storm" and it will take you to the video.

Lake Alpine, CA

Cliff and I decided to head to the mountains on this Labor Day weekend just for fun. Well, it looked like everyone else had the very same idea. We changed our route plans when we were also in the grid-lock line seen here out our rear window. I never was big on patiences!

Aw, now this is more like it...in our camp chairs by the lake...beautiful sights, sounds, smells...lots of R&R and people watching! Just so thankful for God's creation!

This young man had the right idea!!

Prayer Walking and Hazards

I have been consecutively walking/praying for the past 19 days every morning. I was beginning to not feel myself...sluggish...tubby...a complete blobster. So, I decided to get back on my walking regiment. So far, so good.

Little did I know the hazards of walking...this little gem stuck clean through the ball of my tennis shoe right into my foot, but luckily I had an arch support that cushioned the stab, so no broken skin.

Action...Around the House

My Photography Challenge this week is "action". So, I tried to capture some of the action around the house. Bailey surely performs well in this category!! Cliff working on the trailer sink passes by with some of the pipe work in hand, and then it was time to harvest some of the Thompson Grapes!!

Sunday Picnic

Sometimes it's just nice to get away even if it's not too far from home. Cliff and I went on a picnic Sunday to Lake McSwain. We found a little bit of shade under a eucalyptus tree...enjoyed our meal...watched the people around us...enjoyed the cool breeze coming off the water...and enjoyed each other's company!

Brief Cool Off

Whew! It's been an absolutely gorgeous last couple of days with cool breezes and a reprieve from the heat. We are enjoying it!! Guess we better as the 100s will be back Monday and for many days after. Thank you, God, for the break!

Be Ready

Today while in the grocery store, a young man (high schooler) by the name of Bret came up to me, extended his arms and gave me a hello side hug. I was kind of surprised...after all we weren't in church and he didn't have to do that. We had a brief conversation. My heart strings were tugging for this young man as I know he has struggles. Perhaps more than most at his age. Brief words were probably exactly what he needed along with that hug. As parents we often throw are arms up to the heavens to relent to God when we just have no more answers in parenting. We aren't giving up, but giving in and really, isn't that the only way Jesus can shine through a person? I've been there as a parent and have had lots of practice!! (I'm a very slow learner.) I see Bret's parents struggle with discernment issues and feel their fight to get it right. Today, Bret just needed a hug. It profoundly spoke to me that we need to be ready...ready to be used of God in perhaps the smallest ways. Hugs are underestimated and can be a healing source for a hurting soul. Be ready to be used.

Our Weekend!

We started our weekend remembering when...when Cliff and I met 34 years ago this month at Divine Gardens in Turlock. Cliff use to be a rodeo cowboy riding bulls and was wearing this very hat the night we met. It still has the same rope band, sweat stains and cow poo on it. I'm pretty blessed to have this cowboy in my life!

We help celebrate a friend's birthday (Dave, in center)!

I got to spend some time with a friend and we shot some photography in a cemetery in a little country town not too far from home. We are both in a photography challenge group and our assignment/challenge was still life photography. I got a couple of shots.

Then to top off our weekend, we heard our little terrier dog yappin' and barkin' tonight, and she really doesn't do that unless something is outside. I asked Cliff if it could be an opossum as they seem to love our redwood tree and grapes!! Sure enough this little fellow was playing possum on the ground. Cliff asked, "should I put him out of his misery?" I looked at him in horror, "You're going to kill it?" I asked with sad ol puppy dog eyes. I left as I was not going to be a witness!

Okay, so don't tell anyone, but Cliff is an old softy! He came back into the house and said, "I put him in the small metal trash can and will take him out to the country before work tomorrow." Hopefully he will not die of stress until that time. Look at the teeth on this guy!! Click the photo to enlarge if you like. Well, that's enough excitement for a while.

Space Shuttle Sighting

So, like we heard on the news tonight that we would be able to see the space shuttle on the horizon looking west at 8:45 pm tonight! I set our timer to remind us, because I did not want to miss this opportunity. Wow, that would be something, aye? The timer went off and we started out the door and down the street to an area where we could actually see the "horizon".

We watched...could see that it was raining in the distance (probably dissipated before hitting the ground...)

Oh, is that it? No, it's the moon!

One of our neighbor's flies his flag 24/7...awesome reminder of what a great country we live in!

"Oh, look, Cliff!! It's coming! See it? It's coming right toward us!!!" We were amazed...in awe...petrified by it's blinding light!! Funny thing, it didn't sound anything like we thought it would. It got closer and closer... "Gayle! Gayle!! GAYLE!!" My heart was beating, faster and faster and faster. I was so excited! "GAYLE!" Cliff said. I looked again and it was...was...why it was a little Cessna puttering over head. It was not the space shuttle. We laughed and a little later, we laughed again at our enthusiasm!


I was very stubborn and wanted to wait just a little bit longer. I wanted so to see the space shuttle so badly. We waited, but a sighting for us just wasn't going to happen. So, we ventured back home.

Rats! That's all I can say about the whole thing! Oh, I think I hear that Cessna again. Nothing like pouring salt on the wound!

By the way, we are still laughing!

Gilbert & Ashlee's 7th Wedding Anniversary Today!

HAPPY 7th ANNIVERSARY GILBERT & ASHLEE!!