Corner View: Where has the time gone?

On the wall in my dining room, I have three photos of little girls at age two.

One is of me,

one is of my daughter, Sara,

and the third one is of my first granddaughter, Peyton.

Peyton, from the start, had a  resemblance to me.

People would comment on it.

Then the photo was taken of her at two,

 and it was placed beside that of Sara at two---

again, a resemblance.

After Dad died, I got my photo of me at age two.

Thus emerged the photo arrangement.

Sara --- two

Me, Beth -- two

Sara -- age 35 and me -- age 57  

This was taken during a visit last summer.

Peyton -- two

Above is Peyton at age 8 last summer.  Below is Peyton, still 8, last Sunday during awards after her gymnastics meet

Where has all the time gone? 

Now my daughter has her own daughter, Abigail or Abby.  Here they are at a photo shoot this past September.

Here is Abby sitting prettily by herself.  She is 7 months in these photos. She just turned 9 months.

Although I also have three grandsons, this post is mainly about the females in the family, so I will include my third granddaughter, Addison or Addy.  (The grandsons can be featured another time).
Here Addy is being held by her Daddy, my son Doug.

Last summer I snapped this photo of Addy or Addy Jane as I call her, at age 4 with her daddy, now 33 and a father of three and stepfather of one.

My children have children.
Where has the time gone?

 Bits and pieces of our lives have been recorded over time on slides and on Kodak film glued into scrapbooks.  I have approximately 12 journals recording the small and the humongous events in our lives.  But where it all resides, together as one, is in my heart.

Some day, hopefully, we will take a family photo of us all with the grandkids grown up and possibly with children of their own.
We will look at each other and say, Where has the time gone? 
Then we will smile because we had that time together.

For more corner views, check out Francesca's Fuoriborgo

Barn Charm #17

  

Beavercreek, Ohio

(a suburb of Dayton)

My sister-in-law and her husband and daughter

have owned all sorts of animals over the years.

This barn was used a long time ago for a horse they had.

It is now mostly used to store feed for the swan and chickens

and misc. equipment.

It is small but useful.

The neatly bricked sidewalk was added after they sold the horse.

The horse may be gone in acuality, but its presence is still remembered.

A bit of 'Americana ' decoration.  The stove is real and old, but now is used for decoration.  Farm equipment is used to display perennials that are now fading and preparing for the winter.

This is a back view looking up at the house.  Dooley is standing guard.

Certain bits of clutter enhances a barn, don't you think.?

This is the looking down at the pond.  I'm standing at the back of the barn.

They have a beautiful and functional cooking and eating area under that pavillion.

This is not my usual barn charm. 

But I was there this past weekend and wondered away

from the noise of loud family

to explore the grounds.

My previous post features the swan.

For more Barn Charm, click below.

Photos to make you smile and words to make you think

I have an Amplified Version Bible.

It's The Everyday Life Bible

 featuring notes and commentary by Joyce Meyers.

On a page next to verses 1 -10 of Psalm 143

J.M. wrote a "Biblical prescription  for depression."

I thought I'd share the verses and her commentary.

They will be interspersed with photos taken Saturday

at the home of my husband's older sister and her husband.

We were there for brunch,

the morning after their only child's (a daughter) wedding.

His family can be overwhelming at times.

Sometimes I flounder.

But this time, I grabbed my camera from the car

and took a walk.

(Funny how a person is not being anti-social

 when she walks away pointing a camera at nature!)

They obviously have a pond.

The houses behind the trees weren't there six years ago

when we last visited.

It was just open countryside. 

Look at the speck of white.

It will get bigger.

"Psalm 143: 3-10 gives a description of depression

and how to overcome it."

vs 3: For the enemy has pursued and persecuted my soul,

he has crushed my life down to the ground;

he has made me to dwell in dark places . . .

"Identify the nature and cause of the problem

The source of the depression described her is our enemy,

Satan, who attacks the soul."

vs 4:Therefore is my spirit overwhelmed and faints with me

[wrapped in gloom];

my heart within my bosom grows numb.

"Recognize that depression steals life and light."

vs 5: I remember the days of old;

I meditate on all Your doings;

I ponder the work of Your hands.

" Remember the good times."

"Remembering, meditating, and pondering are all functions of the mind.

David obviously knows that his thoughts will affect his feelings,

so he gets busy thinking about the kinds of things that will help overcome

the attack upon his mind.

He thinks about God and the good things He does."

vs 6: I spread forth my hands to You;

my soul thirsts after you like a thirsty land [for water].

"Praise the Lord in the midst of the problem."

"David knows the importance of praise; he lifts his hands in worship. 

He declares what his need truly is: He needs God."

vs. 7: Answer me speedily, O Lord . . .

"Ask for God's help."

vs. 8: Cause me to hear Your loving-kindness in the morning, for on You do I lean and in You do I trust. . .

"Listen to the Lord."

 vs 9: Deliver me, O lord . . .

"Pray for deliverance."


vs 10: Teach me to do Your will, for You are my God; let Your good Spirit lead me into a level country and into the land of uprightness.

"Seek God's wisdom, knowledge, and leadership."


I'm not sure why I felt led to share all this.
But I've known since Thursday that I was to do so.  However, I've not been home to do it.  I hope it ministers to someone.

The last three photos were taken this afternoon (Sunday) at my granddaughter
Peyton's gymnastics meet.
The older girl is Addy Jane, Peyton's 4 year-old sister.  She is sharing hugs with the daughter of  the step-brother of my son and daughter. 

Below: Leah is tweaking Addy's nose.   
 I chose these photos because they made me smile.  I am not depressed--the opposite.
It was a tiring weekend, but a good one.   I trust this coming week will be good also.

                                   Blessings to you all as you begin the new week.

Corner View: Home Sweet Home

Every night I come home laden with a rolling office tote,

two bags of binders of bureaucratic education standards work

 and folders stuffed with papers to grade.

At school, I deal constantly with the noise of teen-agers

and their quick (sometimes sneaky) movements.

Every one of my senses are in full operational mode.

So when I come home, I need a quiet, familiar, peaceful, and comfortable setting.

I have 'carved' out several areas in this tiny home for just that.

This is one of my work areas.

It's a computer armoir that has all the essentials for

 blogging, emailing, researching, and entering grades.

On the top shelf lies my comfort:

a photo of mom and dad,

mother's Bible with an "Angels on Duty" memento,

a plague reminding me of an important aspect of living a good life--

this sits in front of the POW scrapbook I made for my father,

and

my father's WWII books

flanked by two precious figures--

the old-time preacher

and the sea captain.

The first represents my father

and the second represents the man who was like a father to me.

On the very top are photos of my son's family

and a container of potpouri and an electric candle.

There are also the two framed pics of dad:

one of him early in his ministry

and one taken for his 80th birthday celebration.

This is my 'grading corner':

a comfortable recliner complete with throw blanket,

a chest of drawers with essentials like stapler and staples, pens, etc.

a glimpse of outside (through the French doors which open onto a screened-in porch),

floor space for my bags full of work,

and more comfort: mom's collection of Precious Moments figurines

and Dad's POW plaque.

The flickering images of the TV in the living room can't distract me---

my eyes constantly track movement at school and can't stop at home

and due to my husband's headphone I can't hear the TV either.

This is where I lay out my clothes for the next day.

It's a tiny hallway connecting the bathroom and our bedroom

with the living and dining rooms.

More comfort reside in this cabinet: precious books and figurines

as well as a lower shelf full of favorite childhood books for the grandchildren.

To the left is a glimpse of the dining room table,

which is usually stacked with textbooks and more papers.

It's where I can spread out work if I need to.

It's also where Mike and I eat supper.

So you've gotten a glimpse of just a few spots

that make this tiny Craftsman style bungalow

home sweet home.

For more corner views

check out Francesca's fuoriborgo.

Barn Charm #16 Southeast Ohio

Outside of the little village of Sarahsville,

which is a hop, skip, and a jump from my high school,

is a small building filled with antiques.

My hairdresser built it for her salon.

She and her family used to live up the hill,

but they sold the house

and restored a small Victorian in 'town'.

However they kept most of the land for their horses

and of course the salon building

and  most importantly:

the BARN.

She had closed down for several years,

but recently reopened.

She does my hair the best, so I'm back with her.

All the time I went to her before, I didn't pay much attention to the barn.

But now, my viewpoint has been changed--thanks to Tricia and you other barn lovers!

So my camera and I went exploring.

This if officially the front of the barn.

As you can see, it is built into the hillside.

Many barns in hilly southeastern Ohio are built this way.

We park our cars here.

The barn is very much in use as
shown by these two rooms,
which you enter in the lower front part.
You can see through to the back thanks to a huge gap on that side of the barn.

There is this huge gap where you can peer in from the top side.

She told me that there is a wonderful loft.

(It was closing time, so I didn't ask to see that.)

I am intriqued by 'weather vanes' and I think this one is especially cool.

These are views from the back side that faces the hilly fields where the horses graze.

And last but not least: the inhabitants of the barn--well two out of three of them.

I'm so glad my eyes have been reopened to the beauty that lies around me.

I always admired barns, but never thought to photograph them.

I didn't think to photograph at all, really.

Now, the camera has given me a renewed awareness and appreciation for

all that surrounds me.

For more barns,

join Tricia and others at

Bluff Area Daily

moments at the park lake with camera

i drove to the park lake reservoir on Saturday

enjoyed my twist ice cream (choc. and vanilla) cone with sprinkles

with window down

 and wisp of chill air

swirling in

thoughts wondered

'til i glanced at the clock

and remembered the pharmacy closed soon

i was already overdue

for a dose of a regular prescription--

i had to get there on time

so i grabbed the camera

and shot some quick photos

at some point i messed with the buttons

the result being a whole different light

and format

unfortunately, like a lot in my life

i'm not sure what i did exactly

Corner View:Dream

 What is one of my biggest dreams?

To have a studio room all to myself.

It will be planned out and have nooks and crannies,

a big window with oodles of light and a lovely view,

an artist's desk,

a soft, cozy spot to snuggle up under a lap blanket and dream,

and of course all my collection of materials---

brushes, paints, sequins, pens, special paper, scrapbooks,

and on and on.

They are all downstairs piled and stuffed into a dark section of the basement

patiently waiting a new home.

The pictures are of some wonderful studios,

any of which I'd consider myself highly blessed to have.

I have this desk, disassembled and piled in the garage.

I love bulletin boards and consider this huge one a dream.

These feature another woman's dream.

These are just two versions of a smaller craft studio area.

Scruffy had to get involved. 

As soon as I laid out open the books to photograph,

she sprawled on top of them.

I scooted her aside,

but then she ended up sleeping close by.

The smaller craft areas were taken from the above books.

The studios were from the book below.

As we head into another winter here in this tiny home,

Mike and I are getting a clearer picture of what we want in our future home.

He understands my need for a studio.

I understand his need for a man-cave.

It will be in the basement and the walls will be soundproof.

That way he can watch a football game or blast ACDC on the radio

and I won't be disturbed.

It will be warm and comfortable and near his workroom.

We support each other's dreams

and are leaning more and more towards building.

Anyhow, for more corner view dreams,

check out Francesca's Fuoriborgo.

Thanks you Tzivia for providing us with this week's theme.

Next week's theme is "Home Sweet Home"

from .Bonnie.