BACKUP .... important info & photos!!

Tis' a sad sad story .... ripped my heart out! and a bit scary too!!! ALL my photos (over 4,000) disappeared, as well as my tax information and financial stuff. My harddrive literally disappeared ~~ fried ~~ gone ~~ forever!! oh my oh my!!! It's a sad day!! I know it could be worse, lesson learned!! so learn from my stupidity and mistakes. m

let there be LIGHT!!

 
 
 
 
I firmly believe that YOU CANNOT HAVE ENOUGH lights! I happened into a light store today and it was if I had walked into Willie Wonka's Chocolate factory. I walked around dazed. Prices all over the board. Wow ~ let there be light! I also firmly believe if you can install a chandlier in your laundry room ~~ DO IT!! & if you can install a girly frilly chandlier above your tub ~~ DO IT!! I had fun .... XOXO, m

the 3 H's

YES! that can be Hazy, Hot and Humid ... and it can be Hot, Hotter & Hottest ... living through it ... hope you all have a great day! and BTW, the computer is ill and will probably be diagonosed soon and I'll be more regular at posting photos. Just another transition. love, m

dinner party ... for 3 ... last night!!

 
okay, let me clarify I DO NOT KNOW many people in my new location! Therefore, when darlin' D said he'd like to invite over his bosses (because one of them and his family are also relocating from TN) ... I said 'sure, why not!' with a smile on my face. Little did I know it would be 108 degrees .. no biggy!! I decided to scout out my local area ~ and what to my wondering eyes should appear ~~~> Glicks meat market! located off Goshen Road - 2 lights past the Rawhides Baseball stadium. Oh my ... oh my! the prices are excellent, and the tastes is superbly excellent!! I now know where I'll be purchasing my Christmas steaks!! had to share. It was a great evening! when everyone is relocated we'll get the families together! have a great Wednesday! m

olive TREES ....

 
 
I could barely stand it ... FIRST TIME IN MY LIFE ... I saw olive TREES! so here are the trees and up close of the olives ~~~ the fruit! Doug and I drove up to the Sequioa Park ... lovely drive however; still very very hot! 110 degrees.

FRUITs ... how many & what????

 
 
 
FYI .... truly it is harvest season ~~> fruit that is!! look at Arnie's peaches ALL HARVESTED from one tree! and sooooooo very deliciously. Miss Mary and her hubby, Arnie, invited us over for supper. What a treat! and when you don't know ANYONE, it's truly wonderful to be included. Carissa (sp?) is their youngest ... and just beautiful! she will be a freshman and school starts Aug 17 ... exactly one month away. back to the topic: FRUIT!! how many do you eat EACH DAY???? & what fruit is your favO'rite? I personally love love love peaches, nectarines, cherries and WATERMELON!!! BTW, I normally DO NOT blog on Saturday's but this happened last night and I wanted to post it posthaste!! and ... Arnie gave Doug some excellent suggestions for 'fieldtrips'. Those of YOU that know me, know I always have a filefolder full of ideas/suggestions of roadtrips and fieldtrips! the journey continues!! have a great day, m

G R E E N .... and more!!

 

I'll admit I am a GREENaholic, GREENaphobe! I love the color green ... I really enjoy it and I am naturally drawn to green. A N Y T H I N G ... green. Look what I saw today, don't you love this patter and the color??
one last TIDBIT ... the new Baskin & Robin commericial is a hoot!! I don't ever watch or even hear commericials (TV or radio) ... I just tune them out completely ...however, the Baskin & Robin has the 'do the ice cream & cake' song which is actually the 'Peanut Butter and Jelly Time' by Buckwheat Boyz attached to it .... I LOVE IT LOVE IT LOVE IT ... and BTW, I have NOT eaten the ice cream. YOU know the get healthy thingy has begun!! and I plan to stick to me guns!! It's hard you know!! have a great weekend and STAY COOL (as in temperature!!) love, m

getting HEALTHIER ....

with all the changes going on in my life .... and the desire and need to get HEALTHIER .. & a few of you saying you'd do the same ... IT IS TIME!! to just do it! and begin the journey to wellness. Let me know .. if you're on the same page and possibly we can encourage/motivate each other. have a great day, m

V I S A L I A, California

 
 
 
 
this is were Douglas & I live ... Visalia CA! to be exact the mail address is: 2533 W. Buena Vista Ave, Visalia CA 93291. Please write, then write some more and write again!! needing to hear from you all!!! PLEASE!! the other photos are near and around. Actually the other 2 pics are the bus depot ... and it's rather architecturally gorgeous!! love, m

blogging ... 2 in 1 day!!

 

 

I normally NEVER blog twice in one day .... but, I took a break today and discovered this magazine! wow!! it's great. The name of the magazine is LIFE: Beautiful (faith for your journey) it has awesome ideas, includes scripture, great recipes and articles by Janet Parchall, Gary Smalley, James Dobson and Joyce Meyers ...check out the photo of the dining area!! It is only published 4 times a year ... but I grabbed a glass of iced tea and ENJOYED myself! I do have so much to share with all of you!! I've discovered some photo softwares to have fun with your photos ... local shots of my new locale ... and just ordinary dailyness with me ~ Michelle. ta-ta and xoxox too, m

REPAIRMAN! ...... I think I love this guy!!

I think I love this guy for showing up early! The A/C broke on Friday .... and no one can fixit until TODAY ... MONDAY. The repairman showed up at 8:30AM. I like this guy!! And now ... I only hope he can fix it!!! and yes, I'll admit I'm spoiled! I have lived without air conditioning ... I don't like it, yet, I can do it! but I'd rather not do it for the next 8 days as the temps will be 102-104 degrees. Gotta love S. Cali!!!! have a great monday!

idaho ..... a few of my favO'rite things!!

 
 
 
my beautiful cool (as in shade!) backyard, reading my Bible sipping Dutch Bros! IE ~~~ the sweetest young thang and exceptionally creative and my girlfriend that I could 'do life with' ... tears were inevitable ... and R & P! I know they are grown, but they still are my boys (my babies!) .... my men in my life!!! Idaho .... a few of my favO'rite things that I am missing tremendously.

RECYCLING ~~~ God's story!!

 
 
 
Stay with me here ... because even this God story will float your boat and encourage YOU! being in a new city is exciting, frustrating and life DOES GO ON. I called one of my prayer warriors because I knew I was traveling in parts of this town (shall we say) that are NOT the safest! (trust me, I'm observant, safe ... and praying!) It's far faster to travel through this neighborhood than drive the looooooong way. So, I ask the Lord to help me get to where I need to be etc. and to bless those around me. Well, the other evening ago I was watching the news (I don't do this often .. because the weatherman will tell me it's going to be HOT & Hazy! and the other stuff can get ya down ... KWIM???) The MOST SADDEST STORY ... Emilio M. was beaten to death and found on the road by a good samaritan woman ... he was a great student, helped in the community, was a mentor to younger students. This broke my heart! But what can one woman do? Let alone, I don't know this family. But I know the grief they must be going through, as well as the Visalia Community in which he lived and worked. He was just given the highest award high school students can get for his volunteer service. Stay with me ... here's God's story! So, my errands today (Friday) are to find the Recycling Center (and drop off my cans, glass & plastics) and to find Walmart!! Well, they happen to be within the same area! Go figure! I drop off my recycling ... the darling hard-working man posing in the photo name is Gregano and his buddy that gave me great directions name is Tavo! I wished them happy Friday and told them I'd see them in a month. I plan to do this errand MONTHLY! Got my cash ... headed to WallyWorld. And on the corner, were students raising money for Emilio ... who knew they'd be there? Not I!! So, I rolled down my window and gave her all my cash to help support Emilio's funeral and family. Psalm 92:4 " For you make me glad by your deeds, O Lord: I sing for joy at the works of your hands." Sing I tell you to the top of your and mine lungs!!!! I gave her $20. and said God bless. I think she was startled a bit. But isn't it just like Jesus to startle all of us?!!! and I made it to Walmart just fine!! Making the God connection = handing over my fears (whatever they may be) to God, asking for His ways and blessings ...not knowing His timing ... and being able to see and know God has plans for all of us D A I L Y. Even in the most simplest ways. Enjoy your weekend and let God guide your dailyness! have a great weekend. See Jesus even in your errands!!

phone a friend ....

WHAT A BLESSING!!! ... a darling woman here (in Visalia) who is the daughter of a woman in my prayer support group in Nampa (in Idaho) called us for supper tonight. yea God!! God knows I need this ... being the social one that I am ... so we are meeting them down on Main Street! and then another of her friends, called me for coffee tomorrow afternoon. Now keep in mind, NO ONE really drinks HOT coffee in the afternoon when is close to 100 degrees ~ it's just one of those things you say ~~ so, go say it to a friend .... phone a friend ~~ for lunch, coffee, or just a sit a spell session. xoxox, m Ephesians 3:20

LOST ... today's word!!

getting lost isn't half bad. I am beginning to recongize places!! twice now I've driven to a place and it's been closed for the holiday!! this would normally frustrate me, but I've decided to live "flexible"!! and it's working!! LOST .... I got totally LOST today!! and I'm not talking on a deserted beach either!!! several different roads here have the same name!! imagine that!! have a great day, m

C A L I F O R N I A ... on the road to ~~~

 
 
 
 
Wow ... what a drive ... yes, long (13 hours) .... yes, beautiful ... so many differences along the way!! The sunrise in Idaho .... desert (sage brush) .... the temperature began to rise QUICKLY! .... sand even ... up to the high elevation .. snow too! mind you I am driving and taking photos!! This was my day on July 2, 2009. God is good!