Carrick Creek Trail

I have been wanting to go hiking for several weeks but something always got in the way. We had things to do, the weather was too hot or it was raining. Sometimes the mind was willing but the body wasn’t.

Well, yesterday was the day that everything worked out and we got up early to eat breakfast at Waffle House. Then we headed to Table Rock State Park to do a short hike.

It felt wonderful to be outdoors and experience nature. We looked for flowers and listened for animals. It was nice to see God’s world and appreciate all that he has created! We saw the flowers of a cranefly orchid which was great because normally we only find the red leaves. We also saw some white bergamot. I heard birds and we found a snail.

Gnicky the gnome hitched a ride with us and rode on the back of my pack. He got a picture with the water cascading behind him. At one trail crossing, he pointed the direction that we needed to go.

By the time we left, it was starting to get hot and more crowded. We found out that the parking lots were being monitored and when they filled up, the gates were closed for an hour or two so I’m glad we went early.

Original photos by Pat Hensley

Summer Time Heat

It’s summer time and I just can’t seem to be motivated to do much in this heat. 

On July 1, I started teaching my university course which luckily keeps me indoors most of the morning. 

Of course, this means that we have to go to breakfast early and I can’t get out in the yard to work in the yard before it gets too hot. On the weekend,, it was cloudy so I got outside and worked in the yard. I spend most of the day in my sunroom with the shades down to keep out the heat and I feel like I’m in a cave! 

Our blueberry crop is finally at the end of its run but we got lots of blueberries this year. Not only did we get some but so did two of our neighbors. I loved being able to share with them. We have a few figs on the tree but I'm not sure I will be able to get to them before the squirrels do.

Staying indoors has helped me get some knitting done. I started a summer sweater (the Salty Air Tee), finished a pair of socks, and knitted many charity dishcloths. 

So far, July has been a productive month! 

O Beautiful Forever Stamps: Celebrating America's Beauty

Have you ever looked at a stamp and wondered about the picture on it? The O Beautiful Forever Stamps (U.S. #5298, 2018 50¢ O Beautiful) are special stamps that show some of the most beautiful places in America. How did these stamps come to be and why they are important?

The idea for the O Beautiful Forever Stamps came from a famous song called "America the Beautiful." This song, written by Katharine Lee Bates in 1893, and the lyrics talk about the amazing natural beauty of the United States. The United States Postal Service wanted to make stamps that celebrated these beautiful places mentioned in the song.

Making these stamps was a big project. The USPS worked with photographers and artists to find the best pictures of American landscapes. They wanted to show different types of scenery from all over the country. Here are the ten places they chose for the stamps:

1. Baldwin Peninsula in Kotzebue, Alaska
2. Glen Canyon National Recreation Area in Arizona and Utah
3. Yosemite National Park in California
4. Wheat fields in Palouse, Washington
5. Fire Island National Seashore in New York
6. Waikiki Beach in Honolulu, Hawaii
7. Grand Tetons in Wyoming
8. Shenandoah National Park in Virginia
9. Mount Rainier in Washington
10. The Grand Canyon in Arizona

Each of these places is very special and shows the beauty of America in a different way.

The O Beautiful Forever Stamps were introduced to the public on July 4, 2018, on America's Independence Day. The ceremony to show the stamps was held in Colorado Springs, a place with its own beautiful scenery that inspired the song "America the Beautiful."

Katharine Lee Bates was a 33-year-old English professor from Wellesley College. In 1893, she was inspired by the Columbian Exposition in Chicago, the wheat fields of the Great Plains, and, most of all, Pikes Peak and decided to write a poem about the unrivaled beauty of her country. The poem was published two years later and eventually, it was set to music.

People loved the stamps! They thought the pictures were beautiful and enjoyed seeing America's landscapes in this special way. The stamps became very popular with people who collect stamps and those who love nature.

The O Beautiful Forever Stamps do more than just help send letters. They show the world how beautiful America is. Every time someone uses one of these stamps, it shares a little piece of America’s beauty. These stamps also remind us to take care of these natural places. They help us appreciate and protect our environment so that future generations can enjoy it too. Also, the stamps inspire people to learn more about these beautiful places. Someone may see a stamp with Yosemite National Park and decide they want to visit it one day. The stamps help us feel proud of our country and its natural wonders.

The O Beautiful Forever Stamps are not just pieces of paper. They are little works of art that celebrate the incredible beauty of America. From mountains to beaches, and from parks to canyons, these stamps show us the wonderful places that make our country special. Next time you see one of these stamps, remember the amazing landscapes they represent and the pride they bring to our nation.

References:
https://about.usps.com/news/national-releases/2018/pr18_050.htm
https://www.mysticstamp.com/5298-2018-first-class-forever-stamp-o-beautiful/

EDEX 962 and EDEX 963

Today begins another day of teaching. I’m teaching a combined class of EDEX 962 and EDEX963 which has four students. I have been teaching this class for the past 17 years. It is a practicum class so I created a school for these teachers to show me that they can apply all that they learned in their other Master’s level classes. It is my favorite class to teach because I love seeing how my students grow in just four weeks. It is like watching baby birds learn to fly.

For their first blog reflection, this is their assignment:

“I want you to come up with 3 goals for yourself. I want to know how you are feeling about the course, the children, and your expectations.”

I also have 3 goals:

• I want to make sure that everything is set up for my teachers so they have a great learning experience.
• I want to give feedback to my teachers so they will have useful information to help their own teaching.
• I want to be available as a resource so my teachers can gain confidence in teaching students with special needs.

I’ve been teaching for 44 years and I’m still excited about beginning this class. Like any class with any age students, every class and every student is different. You never know what challenges you may face but I like facing them together with my students. I feel that if you aren’t excited on the first day of any class you are teaching, then maybe it is time to get out of teaching. I love teaching and sharing my experiences with my students (who are teachers). I hope that they will learn from my experiences so that they can be effective in their classrooms.

Let the fun begin!

Photo by Ivan Aleksic on Unsplash

Hikers Luncheon

Several times a year, our group of “old hikers” get together for lunch. Many times we are traveling and can’t join the group but this past week we were able to join everyone. I love seeing everyone and sometimes we reminisce about friends who are no longer with us and the fun times we had.

Original photos by Pat Hensley

Traveling Home

6/23/2024:

We left Rochester, Minnesota at 6am. We waited until daylight to start traveling because we have gotten to the age where we don’t like driving in the dark. We were surprised by how much flooding there was in Iowa! We stopped in Wayland, IA for gas at a Flying J. Don drank some Muscle Milk and I had cookies for breakfast. As we headed south, it kept getting hotter! We arrived in Paducah, KY around 4pm and decided to stop for the night. We got a room at the Comfort Inn for $88 off of Hotels.com. Then we went to Sam’s Club and filled up with gas. For dinner, we stopped at Culver's. After dinner, we went to the waterfront and walked along the beautiful painted murals.

6/24/2024:

We left Paducah, KY around 6:40 in the morning. We hit a lot traffic around Knoxville so we stopped for lunch at Culver’s. Then 30 minutes later, we stopped at Bucees for gas in Kodak, TN. Then we hit road construction all the way home. Instead of taking 25 to Greenville, we stayed on I-26 all the way to Woodruff and came home the back way. It was so hot when we got home (94F compared to the 53F when we left Minnesota). After we unpacked, we went to dinner so the house could cool off. Then we went into the kitchen (that is still a disaster area) and covered the air vents with cardboard so the AC wasn’t cooling a room that we couldn’t use. Finally, around 10pm, we decided to call it a night!

Zombie Knitpocalypse 2024

Click here for pictures.

Day 1: 6/19/2024

We had breakfast at the Hampton Inn and saw another couple who were from Simpsonville. The husband wore a Furman hat on and I had to comment about it. We ended up having an hour-long visit with this nice couple. He played basketball for Furman and worked at Furman.

Then we headed to the Hilton to park and see if we could check in early, but our room wasn’t ready yet. At 11, we met to stuff the goodie bags and were done around 11:30. Don left the antique store to meet us and led us to the Mayo cafeteria. Pam, Anita, and I were his Don-ettes. After lunch, Anita went back to her hotel (Centerstone) and we returned to the Hilton. We were able to check into our room (626) and then I sat with others and knit until dinner time. It was so nice to see so many friends again!

For dinner, Susan, Pam, Don, and I went to Pittsburgh Blues Steakhouse. We shared 4 happy hour appetizers and split the cost. When we returned, I sat and knit in the ballroom until 9 pm.

Day 2: 6/20/2024

Don woke up early and we went to Bruegger’s Bagels for breakfast. Then I worked the registration table until 9 am. Don took Susan and me to the Mayo cafeteria again. We had a healthy lunch and then we walked downtown through Thursdays Downtown and looked at the street vendors. At 1, I went to my class about How to Doodle and it was great. We got a free doodle deck and we were able to cut out paper charts to mix and match them. At 2:15, I was part of the designer showcase with Rachel and Laura. We introduced ourselves at the beginning and then allowed people to walk around the room to look at our samples. Then we had the opening ceremony at 4 pm where I helped give out door prizes and I won one of the door prizes. After that, Don and I went back to Pittsburgh Blue Steakhouse for happy hour. When we returned, I came back to the room to do a little reorganizing before going back to the ballroom to knit. At 7pm, we had smoothies and cookies provided by the hotel and then we had the photo booth.

Day 3: 6/21/2024

Today we went to Bruegger’s Bagels again for breakfast. Then I had the 5K at 9 am but it was pouring down rain so I skipped it. At 10 am, Pam, Anita, and I went to the Yarn Truck Rodeo which was down the street from the hotel. I bought 2 skeins of brightly colored yarn that made me happy. I taught a class on Estonian inlay at 11:15 and it went really well. Everyone seemed to understand what to do and was happy to learn it.. Then at noon, I went to Pam’s class to help her with teaching crochet. At 1:30 pm, we had the bingo game and there were lots of wonderful prizes. After that, there was a stitch marker swap in the afternoon. I relaxed until we took a group picture on the escalator. Then the teachers and coordinators were taken out to dinner at Victorias which was their show of appreciation.. I had pasta with white clam sauce and it was delicious! At 8 pm, our guest speaker was Sam Guerin, a knitwear designer. I was ready for bed by 9:30 pm.

Day 4: 6/22/2024

We went for breakfast at Cheap Charlies (down the road from Hollandberry) and then I returned to the hotel to knit. At 10 am the market opened and it was time to shop for yarn (like I need more?). I bought some wonderful treasures. At lunchtime, Don and I went to Hollandberry Pannekoeken with Pam and Eleanor (and I had two $5 coupons from my goodie bag). We had a big lunch! Don had chopped steak and I had a ribeye. After lunch, I went back to knit with friends until the closing ceremony. I got another Hinza bag given to me. Then I went back to the room until our 8 pm treats.

 

The Sweetest Thing

42 years ago we got married. On our honeymoon in Helen, Georgia, the band played the song, The Sweetest Thing. I knew that is exactly how I felt about you. I still feel the same way about you. I know I’m the luckiest person in the world because you are in it! I look forward to many more wonderful years with you! 

When I see you in the morning

With that old sleep still in your eyes

I remember all the laughter

And the tears we shared last night

And as we lie here

Just two shadows

In the light before the dawn

The sweetest thing

I've ever known

Is lovin' you

And I have never been afraid of losin'

And I have never wanted love to be a chain

I only know that when I'm with you

You're my sunshine, you're my rain

The sweetest thing

I've ever known

Is lovin' you

Now you and I

We're not children

We have both been loved before

We have given and we have taken

Many rides on troubled shores

But all the heartaches and temptations

Only made me love you more

The sweetest thing

I've ever know

Is lovin' you

And I have never been afraid of losin'

And I have never wanted love to be a chain

I only know that when I'm with you

You're my sunshine, you're my rain

The sweetest thing

I've ever known

Is lovin' you

The sweetest thing

I've ever known

Is loving you. 

Rochester, Minnesota

6/18/2024

The Hampton Inn Rochester offers a free breakfast and it was very good. I had eggs, sausages, muffins, and cereal. Then we came back to work on the computer before we went exploring. Finally, we went to Aldi’s to get some snacks and then gas at Costco. Costco was so much cheaper than other places. At 10 am, we went to the Zolman Zoo, a free zoo in Rochester. We saw river otters, wolves, coyotes, a black bear, prairie dogs, skunks, porcupines, eagles, owls, hawks, and vultures. When we left there we went on a hunt for antique stores but we didn’t find anyone. We stopped at Savers, which was like a Goodwill store but didn’t find anything. Then we went to two Dollar Tree stores before finally returning to our hotel. Of course, we had to go by the Ear of Corn water tower so I could take another photo. We relaxed for a few hours before going to the lobby for soup. Every evening the hotel offers complimentary soup which is usually delicious. Yesterday we had vegetable soup and tonight we had broccoli cheese soup.

SPAM Museum

Today we left Iowa City and headed towards Minnesota. It was dark and overcast most of the way. When we reached the SPAM museum in Austin, it started raining. This is about the third time we have been here and enjoyed the exhibits. A girl came around with samples and we tried the Spam with bacon and the Spam Teriyaki. We went to the souvenir shop and bought some SPAM souvenirs. Then we went to Kenny’s Oak Grill for lunch ($20). Don had a salad which cost more than my hamburger and chips!

I called the Hampton Inn in Rochester where we have a reservation for tomorrow night and they had a vacancy for tonight also. Since it was pouring down rain, we decided to just go and relax. She was able to give me a much cheaper rate for both nights (as a Mayo patient) so I’m glad I called. We like this hotel because they serve soup in the evenings.

Meeting a Friend in Real Life

6/16/2024

I love having my online friends but I really love meeting them in real life! Today was one of those days. 

We woke up and headed to see my friend Britni and her farm! I was so excited because she has been sending me her farm pictures for the past few years and I really enjoyed imagining it in real life. 

It took us about 4 hours to get to her house and we stopped in Monmouth for lunch first. We ate at the Maple City Family Restaurant and it was packed! The food was great! 

We got to her farm and it was beautiful. Her family is the fourth generation to live in their house and each generation has added to it but hasn’t done that yet. Then they showed us their personal garden in the backyard. They had sweet corn (for eating), and sunflowers, zinnias, and beets. Then we went across the street to see their farm equipment. Boy, they were huge! They grow field corn and soybeans that they sell. It was a huge farm! Justin was so patient in explaining how the whole process works from planting the seed, to harvest to storing it in the grain bins. It is a really labor-intensive process and I don’t think I ever appreciated farmers as much as I should! You could tell that Justin loves what he does and takes great pride in it too. He also said that this year, drones will be doing their crop dusting. I was surprised by how much technology was used in their farm equipment! 

After we left them, we headed to Iowa City and checked into our Hampton Inn Iowa City/University Area. After we checked in, we went to Costco to fill up with gas and got a hot dog and ice cream there for dinner. Then we went to the Devonian Fossil Gorge. We were able to walk on the 375 million-year-old ocean floor. We drove around and saw the dam and then we headed back towards the hotel. We drove by the University of Iowa football stadium on the way. 

It was a great day! 

On the Road Again

6/15/2024

We got up early and checked out of the Mammoth Cave Lodge and headed north. We stopped at the Turnhole Bend Nature Trail and did a short hike before leaving the national park.

For breakfast, we stopped at PJs Cafe in Brownsville, KY. We stopped in Owensboro, KY for gas and then crossed into Indiana.

Our next stop was Casey, IL, where we visited in 2021. There was a car show and there were lots of people in town. We had lunch at Reflections Family Restaurant right downtown and the food was very good. Then we walked around town and hoped to buy some fried pies but they were gone by the time we got back there. Then we found an antique store and enjoyed looking around that store for a while.

When we left Casey, we headed to Paris, IL. For a couple of hours, we shopped at the Whippoorwill Antique Mall in Marshall, IL on the way to the Hampton Inn ($124.16), in Paris, IL We had dinner at Arby’s and realized that there wasn’t much there in that town. It looked like a depressed economic area other than some manufacturing plants.