Camping at the Buffalo

Spent Friday and Saturday in Arkansas at the Buffalo River. What a great time! I left early Friday morning, as the plan was to canoe on Friday and most of the group was already there. I went with the Langstons and some other friends. Lauren brought two friends from Kenya, one from Rwanda and one from Russia. I got to practice my Swahili and learned two words in Russian. (Not bad ones). With Nathan and Benson, the Kenyans.


I took my camera on the canoe trip so you could share the beauty.


My canoe partner and "rudder", Kelly.


Benson and Darlene.


Chloe and Beau, the children I enjoyed on the trip. (It wasn't cold - they were pretending)


Sweet Lauren!


Hiking up to Hemmed-in Hollow.


Tallest waterfall in Mid-America.


And freezing!


I never even wore flip flops until I turned 40. And so, I decided to wear them CANOEING and HIKING? Good job! The rocky bottom of the Buffalo makes for some beautifully clear water and some PAINFUL barefoot moving the canoe when it's stuck.


And then, yes then... we tipped. There are 52 sets of rapids on this 8 mile canoe trip. Someone had mistakenly called it a FLOAT TRIP (Kelly) - I had no idea it was as intense as it was. And this is what happened to my camera.


You know, a ZIPLOC bag could have prevented this... yeah - thought of that about twenty minutes AFTER my camera was submerged. At first, it didn't work at all. I set it out in the sun and after 24 hours the screen dried out. But, not the lense... so I have no photos of the amazing hike we did yesterday.

And then, a stroke of genious. Took it back to Sams and told them it was working but the picture was bad. Showed them. They asked if I had purchased it in the past six months and if I had the card with which I purchased it. I did. I had to go home to get the cords, etc, and when I got back, for the FIRST time the water had moved up to the actual visible lense, and the gal behind the counter said, "That's the problem. There's water in there." And I remained silent and I got a brand new camera! I am LEARNING the lesson - I DO NOT HAVE TO TELL EVERYBODY EVERYTHING. Somehow in my early years of walking with Christ, the message of TRANSPARENCY got branded into my brain that if I TRULY loved God I would be TOTALLY HONEST ABOUT EVERYTHING. This has resulted in SERIOUS PAIN AND HEARTACHE. Words cannot describe the pain - I have trusted those I shouldn't because they told me they loved God. I am actually getting tears of sorrow in my eyes right now just typing it, so I must stop. Sufice to say, I was BLESSED and I didn't lie.

Being a Woman and the Continuing Battle

My friend Kendra and I went to visit our friend Trisha on Tuesday. She has just purchased and moved into a home in Miami (pronounced my-AM-uh), OK. So we went to see her new house. Her new bedroom suite arrived literally minutes before we did, so we got to see the pretty new furniture. It's a two story house, with two bedrooms upstairs, including hers. The staircase hits the ceiling area in an odd sort of way, so she had to order a split box spring for her queen bed, and it was up there, but the mattress was still downstairs. We offered to bring it up for her (she is 8 months pregnant) but she told us her father AND the furniture guys said it was way too difficult - it would have to be tied in half with a heavy rope, etc.

Just the words Kendra and I needed to hear...




And now she is sleeping peacefully ("sleeping peacefully" and "8 months pregnant" don't REALLY work well together, I realize), and I continue my battle on the home front.

I went to use my grill the other day, and there was all this long old grass in it. The cover has been lost (blown off, taken off and forgotten to be put on by my "tenants?) Whatever the reason, no cover and all this long grass. I figured it was from mowing, although that didn't make sense. So I cleaned it out and grilled.

The next evening I saw a crow-ish type bird fly to my grill and land on the grass beHIND it... this made the old wheels start whirring, and I went out to look and his is what I found:


SERIOUSLY, the darn bird thinks I am going to LET it build a nest in my grill?! Going to Wal Mart today to buy a new, HEAVY cover. And maybe some ROPE to tie it on...

I do NOT live in the country. I live in TOWN. And one of the baby rabbits is dead. I did not kill it. I just saw it, but I will spare you a photo. And my really smart and clever friend, Kelli Portman gave me six tomato plants


and some black eyed Susan plants, last night.


I was so inspired that I dug a special place just for them.


And I have had this "weed-guard" sitting on the side of my house since I moved in (FOUR years ago this July... can hardly believe it)


This is my "green-house" where I have planted Tarragon, Thyme and Rosemary. I will transplant them into a bed as soon as they grow a bit.


And my Vinkas. I had Hydrangea plants here... two died and the third seems to be following the same path. This is sad. I see flourishing Hydrangeas everywhere around me. Mocking me. I wonder if it was a bad place for them. Maybe too much sun.


And my friend Maggie told me that if I would let my Zinnias go to seed, they would re-seed themselves in the Spring. Sure enough.


And in really great places, too. The rocks.


The sidewalk.


Once they get a bit bigger, I will transplant them. So, all in all, very exciting growth! (Yes, I am a Gardening Geek - and proud OF it!)

While I Was Gone

This happened. Lucky they're Robins. I will let them stay until they fly away and then that dang nest is GONE. And they're only staying because the eggs are pretty. My new found boundaries dictate that I don't have to let anything or anyone take advantage of me.

And this is the part of the "garden creating" story that I didn't tell you about earlier... While I was digging with my shovel (which is what one does in one's backyard when they are creating a garden in one's OWN space that one OWNS)

ANYway... (I'm getting a bit flustered and feeling defensive) I shoveled and heard a shrieking, squealing sound. I thought it was a mouse, but the creature that scampered/limped/threw itself out of the line of my unKNOWING shoveling didn't have a tail. Yes, it was a newborn rabbit. I will not call it a bunny because that makes me sound heartless. It lay there wimpering - kind of freaked me out.


So I moved it into the shade (right here) - and it was gone thirty minutes later. As in disappeared. Maybe a crow came and got it?

Then yesterday when I was watering, I heard sounds - sounds of shock though not death.


And out came this... do you see it?


Here's an up-closer-shot. Yes, disgusting. Baby rabbits are WAY more homely than baby swans. And they call those "ugly ducklings" and these "bunnies"? Go figure.


And there are at least two more. See? Well, they can stay there for now. But when my Butternut Squash come up, a day of RECKONING will come. And I WILL win. First, I will KINDLY plant marigolds. Rabbits hate them and they are a wonderful protector of all things vegetable. If they defy me... well, I know where my shovel is.

A Video Snap

I vide-od while I was in Eldoret, but I was unable to upload - something about not having enough bandwidth - whatever... I, of course, did try to upload some different clips while I was there... I think those periods in my life involved cussing.
But here's cute Diana in the bath.

Since I've Been Home

Well, I had to mow the yard that hadn't been mowed yet... I SHOULD have taken a picture - can you imagine 6 inch high clover and 2 foot high weeds? Yes, SERIOUSLY.

And then I planted basil, rosemary, thyme, and tarragon. And Vinkas and geraniums. And green beans and cucumbers.

But my most industrious triumph was the creating of a new garden area in my back yard. I own a patio home - I like this - SMALL yard, but the back area has been nothing since I've been here. It's fenced off like a Dog Run. (Knowing how much I LOVE dogs you can imagine that this was a REALY selling point for me...)

So, I took these


Used these


Turned this


Into this



And HOPEFULLY in 8-10 days I will have little Butternut Squash and Watermelon plants.

Of course, if all goes as planned in MY heart, I won't be here to enjoy ALL the fruits of my labors because I will be back in Kenya, but I should still be able to enjoy SOME of them. As will area friends.

At Karen's House, Part One

It sure has been fun here.


I think she's really glad, too.


I got to see Karen and Anika in Anything Goes. They did a great job - the pictures didn't turn out too well, but I still wanted to show them to you.


As usual, Luke and Nate are THRILLED I'm here.


Super chatty and smiley.


It was "Youth Sunday" which meant that Terry, I mean the Youth, were in charge of the service. Luke did serve as an usher... (see, he's praying before taking our money.)


Of course, Karen and I harrassed him by trying to take the plate away from him as he passed it in our aisle. Is that bad?


And Jennah and India were in a skit that they learned that morning. They did terrific.


And Terry preached. From Acts. About loving one another and caring about what's really important. It was great, except I took issue with him on several issues... like he thinks it's okay for people to be baptized in the pool (well, he didn't actually SAY that, but I know he's DONE it), and I think that the chlorine makes the blood of Jesus ineffectual... seems like I'm right, don't you think? He may be a pastor, legitimately, but I took Old AND New Testament at ORU.

Since I've Been Back

I've led three tours in the past three weeks. I thought I'd show you some of the sights.

Here I am at the Washington Monument.


Here I am at the World War Two Memorial.


Here I am the National Cathedral.


Here I am at Gettysburg.


The Liberty Bell.


National Constitution Center in Philadelphia. (My here - George Washington!)


With Alexander Hamilton. (the FATHER of the National Debt - don't blame W)


These guys are swell!!




Me in Times Square.


Madison Square garden.


OH I mean...


Wait for it...


Voila!


Oh look - it's the Empire State Building.


That's better.

Lovely Lady Liberty.