Porch Swing Visitor

The other day I was strolling around our yard taking flower pictures, creek pictures and caught a glimpse of our first visitor to the Porch. I was able to click a picture before it flew away.

This beauty was enjoying the nectar from the blossoms on our mock orange bush. It's a beautiful bush with it's white flowers dotted everywhere you can see. 

We've had many birds, squirrels, lizards, snake on the bridge and even a baby calf that got out of the pasture beside the house. I didn't think to capture a picture of him because he was too scared and trying to get back to his momma on the other side. To keep from upsetting both of them, I left well enough alone and helped corral him back into the pasture and back in view of him watchful momma.

We are still underway with many projects line up for Porch Swings & Sweet Tea this summer so stay tuned for their reveals.

As always, thank you for taking the time out of your day to stop by my blog. If you enjoy reading the blogs, sign up to receive them by email. I'm also on Facebook and Instagram as well. Have a blessed day!

Rock Column Flower Bed Renovation

The days here are blossoming into a land of beauty and rich color with all the flowers, green grass and blue skies. Each days seems to bring something even more stunning than the day before. This time of year I fall in love with my natural surroundings every single day. Rain or shine, it doesn't bother me at all. So, this year, I decided that I would dig out all the dirt from our rock column flower beds which are located at the corner of our front porch. These columns have suffered lots of stress and damage and show it prominently. Since I had the columns cleaned out as much as I could, we called a good friend to come and repair the damage and bring them back to what they looked like when they were first built.

I must confess to you. I had an accident with our tractor while cleaning out the dirt in one of the columns. When returning from dumping a load of dirt and rock that was in the bucket of the tractor, I was positioning the bucket to be parallel with the side of the column. The tractor jumped as I was maneuvering the bucket and trying to stop the tractor at the same time. The tractor went forward when I wanted it to stop and down came the wall. My immediate thought was, "The sheriff is going to KILL ME!" These rock columns were built by the hands of his parents and now I've

demolished one of them. I was overcome with nausea and a cold sweat. I knew I might as well go ahead and make my funeral arrangements now. I began to pace back and forth, rubbing my forehead and brainstorming how I was going to break this to my husband. I quickly texted the mason that was going to begin the repair work the next day and told him of my terrible accident. Could it be fixed? Did I just ruin a sentimental portion of my husband's memory? Breathe~Breathe! He can't kill you, that's illegal and he's the sheriff. Oh yeah!  Luckily, the mason texted back that it was fine because he was going to take it down to the ground anyway and start over. I had just save him some time and digging. WHEW!!! I continued digging more dirt out of the column and dump into the tractor bucket and my phone rang. My heart began to palpate, my palms got sweaty....well they were already sweaty-who am I kidding. It was the sheriff calling to check on me. I spilled the beans and then waited. It wasn't bad, I could hear the grimace on his face. But, I quickly followed up with what the mason had told me. It wasn't something that couldn't be fixed. Yay! It's all ok.

The mason arrived the next morning and told me he was just glad I wasn't on top of it when it fell. I was safely behind the wheel of the tractor, unfortunately it wasn't safe for the rock wall while I was driving said tractor. I'm definitely going to have to learn where the brakes are on that beast. So, while the weather held up for the mason, he has worked hard repairing my damage. He isn't done yet so final pictures will be posted soon. Here are the interim repair pictures.

The mortar is still wet in the picture, but now the wall is straight up and down instead of at a lean. Years of pressure from the dirt and water had cause the wall a lot of stress. We will be much kinder to both of them once they are done and I can fill them back up correctly and have beautiful blooming flowers once again.

Speaking of flowers, the rain we have had lately has really encouraged our other flowers to compete with each other and show off their vibrant colors.

As of late, I've become a big fan of Calla Lilies. They are so sleek and beautiful. I love how there's not much about them, just a simple flower. Sleek lines and a "no frills" kind of flower not ashamed to show her stuff. It's a "just the facts ma'am" kind of flower that has caught my eye.

 This little beauty caught the sheriff's eye when we were out and about. The contrast of the white and purple really draw you into the yellow center. Seeing several all about in the basket is stunning in itself.

 Here are more of the purple beauty. Love these stunning buds and how they attract the bees and humming birds outside my office windows.

 This gem is my shaflerra. This beauty almost died when I sat her out too soon this Spring and she got frost bit. She is still recovering and is now outside with all the other plants. I cherish this one because I received it at my grandmother's funeral. It broke my heart to know that I almost killed it. This is why I took a tight shot at just one bunch of leaves. Several are still in shock and not pretty.


This is the patio where I have my potted flowers all in a tight circle. These are a mixture of Asiatic Lilies, Impatiens and Ornamental grasses.

As always, thank you for taking the time out of your day to stop by my blog. If you enjoy reading the blogs, sign up to receive them by email. I'm also on Facebook and Instagram as well. Have a blessed day!

Excuse our Website Changes in Progress

I've been making changes to our blog site today so I can separate my Sunday posts from the Porch Swing posts. I mentioned previously changes were on the horizon for Porch Swings & Sweet Tea and I have added those to the Blog site.

For many years the Sheriff and I have had gatherings of friends and family to our home for meals and entertainment or just to visit. The more the merrier for us. These events I used to test my cooking skills and expand them at the same time. Many have asked for my recipes that were fixed at these events.

 I learned my beginning cooking skills from the Sheriff's mom while we were dating. She pretty much put the spatula in my hand and encouraged me to step out of my comfort zone. The kitchen was definitely out of my comfort zone. Growing up, myself and my sister were NOT allowed to cook or do anything that would make a mess in our mom's kitchen. She was and still is a neat freak. She was the person following behind you with a rag and cleaner wiping everything around you while you're trying to prepare a meal. Instead of sending her into a nervous breakdown, I decided I would turn to Eva (the Sheriff's saint of a mother) for learning any cooking skills and asking her questions. She taught me almost everything I know and the internet stepped in where she left off. The poor Sheriff has definitely learned to love my meals whether they were a success or a total flop. And, believe me, he's had his fair share of faking a smile when it was a total bust. He is a trooper for sticking with me through the tasty meals and the "get to the trash can as fast as you can" meals. Or the one meal that lasts forever. (cooking for two isn't the same as family size) But that's another story in itself. Bless his loving heart.

I've decided to share some of the well known, much loved recipes that I prepare at Porch Swings & Sweet Tea headquarters. Some are from Eva, some are from my mom and some are recipes I got from the internet and tweaked just a tad to make it my own. Some will have a story tied with them and some will have pictures that follow through each step of the preparation directions. I might even share stories of my cooking flops for those of you who might be hesitant to cook because of your lack of knowledge and experience. I've learned to laugh it off because it didn't kill anyone......yet. Besides, whether you succeeded or failed, you have a story to share. No one is perfect; mistakes happen. You learn from them and the next time you prepare a dish, you will know what not to do.

I hope that you enjoy this new section of the blog and feel free to chime in with suggestions of recipes for me to try or share. I love hearing from my readers.

As always, thank you for taking the time out of your day to stop by my blog. If you enjoy reading the blogs, sign up to receive them by email. I'm also on Facebook and Instagram as well. Have a blessed day!

Visitors to the Porch

Today, I was working in my office trying to concentrate on website information I've been compiling for an organization and looked up from my laptop to see I had company on our porch. It wasn't any company I was going to greet at the door because they are too shy. So, I sat at my desk for a moment or two just enjoying the banter between all of them. Each of them fighting for a spot to sit and grab a bite or nibble before leaving. They are fast. One wrong move from inside and they are gone in a flash. I remembered my camera was behind me, so I slowly reached for it and got it set up to catch some shots of my friends.

 If I'm correct, this little beauty grabbing a bite while fighting off the others is an American Goldfinch. There were several, but I was only able to catch this one at the time. It was pretty windy so while swinging and swaying on the feeder while clutched to the tray on the bottom, this little fellow nibbled and enjoyed his lunch while visiting our porch.

These fellows were some of the many other birds that the Goldfinch was watching for and fighting off while grabbing a quick bite at one of the many feeders we offer on the porch. These birds seem to think they are the dominant ones to visit the porch, but the little Goldfinch held his own when it came to eating. We mainly attract the Cardinals to the porch, but this Spring, we seem to be attracting a little bit more of a variety. I've been outside today working on our flower bed columns. We will be introducing some new flowers that I posted about in the previous blog. Hyacinths will be added to attract more wildlife to our porch and offer their lovely fragrance as we swing, pass the time with visitors and of course, drink our sweet tea.

This guy right here was more focused on getting his meal eaten than me and my camera in the window. He was definitely holding on to the plant stand the feeder was on because the wind was giving him a run for his money. He took breaks from the feeder to fly off and share with the others, but it wasn't long until he was back for seconds, thirds, etc. They all chattered, danced in the air between feeders and gave me quite a show. I guess that is why I love my avian visitors so much. They are entertainers and they make me smile. They also distract me from my work, but I'm okay with that.

As always, thank you for taking time out of your day to stop by my blog. If you enjoy reading my blogs, sign up to receive them by email. Also, feel free to leave comments at the bottom of the posts as well. I love to hear from my readers and will be happy to answer any questions or suggestions received. I'm also on Facebook and Instagram as well.

Thank you and have a Blessed day!

New things are happening!

Happy Sunday y'all! This warmer weather is so nice to my soul! The sun seems to dry out all my aches, pains and overall yuck. I wanted to take a minute to announce something new to the blog.
Today, I received this picture from my dear friend and preacher that made me stop in my tracks. I had a light bulb moment folks. I don't have them very often, but when I do, I write them down before I forget them. Have you ever had that happen? This idea has been hidden in my head for quite some time, but I never could put my finger on what it was until now. (Thank you Andrew!)😏

Starting next Sunday I will begin posting a Porch Swing Sunday Post blog. I'm excited to share this with each of you. It will be random subjects on basic life, bible sermon thoughts of the day, etc. Posts that hopefully will make you stop and have an "ah ha" moment like I did.

This picture speaks volumes to me. Not because it's the name of my blog, but it is the truth. The world has become so overwhelmed with technological gizmos and gadgets that keep our children glued to their phones, X-Boxes, etc. We have entered into a communication breakdown with our kids and with society as a whole. I remember as a kid spending nights with my grandparents. We didn't watch TV during the day. I didn't seem to mind it. Grandma would teach me how to do embroidery work on tea towels and pillow cases. That woman could work magic with a needle and thread. But at night, in the Spring and Summer, we would each pull a chair to the edge of the carport and sit there. There might be a conversation here and there. We would watch vehicles drive by and try to guess their color. There wasn't a cell phone distracting my attention from what was really important. It was the love shared and bonding with my precious grandparents. It was watching them as they sat there peacefully and not stressed at all. Not a care in the world. Isn't it amazing how peaceful and relaxing having a conversation with those you love can be? A lot of problems within families could be solved if communication and listening were the key part of daily life. Sadly, it is not.

I encourage you to put down the phones, gizmos, thingamajigs and whatchamacallits and talk to your friends, children, grandchildren. Go visit those you haven't seen in person. You will get so much more out of time spent with family and friends than you will scrolling Facebook, Twitter, Instagram or Snap Chat. Technology will always be around, but your friends and family won't always be here to share your time. AMEN.

 If there are any topics that interest you, add your comments to the blog. If you are interested in receiving these posts, add your email to follow me. I love sharing details of life on the creek, raising a teenage son, and being the Sheriff's wife. There's never a dull moment around here.

Enjoy your Sunday afternoon and as always, thank you for taking time to stop by and read my blog. Have a Blessed day!

Touching base and enjoying Mother Nature

Looking outside our picture windows Mother Nature has given us a dreary, wet day. It has been raining all day and the creek down below has been rolling and sending up wonderful, peaceful sounds to sooth my soul. The birds are enjoying the rain while scattering their bird seeds here and there. They are very vocal today. There must be a lot of things to chirp and sing about to one another.

We have a lot to sing about as well, but I just wanted to touch base with all of my followers and let you know I haven't disappeared. It has been quite hectic with all of our schedules lately. The Sheriff has been covering the county trying to keep the peace and attempt to squeeze in time to enjoy a few of our son's basketball games. Meanwhile, I have been continuing to heal from surgery, but with the cold weather and going to ball games, it has been a bit tough for me. My neck gets angry with me when I don't listen. I push myself to the limit and most of the time I push it too far and I'm back in bed. I get so busy with therapy, housework and trying to catch every moment with our son that it bites me in the end. I'm also trying to heal at a faster pace so that I can get back to my normal life outside of these four walls. I keep hearing the same word over and over when I get frustrated with myself......patience. So, with that being said and letting all of you know that I'm still here alive and getting well, I will reveal in the coming months some of the new ideas we will be sharing on our blog. 

So, stay tuned, keep reading and if there is a subject you want to talk about or idea you want to see on here, comment and let us know. We are open to suggestions from our followers as well.

As always, thank you for stopping by and reading our blog. Have a blessed day!

New Year with a New Look and Exciting Changes

Welcome to a new year of our blog. We have made some new visual changes to the blog. You have the option to add your email to the blog, which enables you to receive future blogs and stay current. We are planning on more changes as I mentioned last year. Plans are in the works to add product(s) to Porch Swings & Sweet Tea. 

We are also very excited to add special blog guests that not only visit our porch swing but all porch swings around us. For example, last summer, our family was outside on our porch. I’m not sure if we were in the swing or not, but we had a visitor that didn’t want to stay long, but with some encouragement he stuck around for a short while. It was a 6’ (give or take) black snake. We snapped some pictures of him before we sent him on his way. Unfortunately, I think my pictures were deleted as I can’t seem to find them now that I’m writing about the very lively event. I’m not one for snakes at all, but this is one time that I went behind the snake and picked it up by the tail and pulled him back to the middle of the front yard, so we could visit. He wasn’t one for much small talk at all, but he was beautiful.

These are the visitors I’m interested in. Any critter or aviary that visits you, share it with us. So, my section of the Blog will be, as Linda Downes puts it, “What will this year bring to the Swing?” If you have a visitor to your porch swing, snap a picture and send it to us. Give us a little information on what happened, and you will make it on our blog as a Porch Swing Guest. We look forward to getting your pictures and short stories on your guest visit to your swing. Follow us by Email and don’t miss out on all the new exciting things rolling out this year!

As always, thank you for taking time out of your day to stop by my blog. Have a blessed day!

That's a wrap for 2018!

This year has truly flown by. It's been a roller coaster year to say the least for our little family. With this being the last day of 2018, it is hard to fathom it's gone already. Did we do all we could to spread cheer, laughter and God's word? Were we there for our elders, our neighbors, our family? We always question if we did enough. We always profess the next year we will strive to do more. Do we follow through with our promises? I say all this because these things should be the focus of the follow through for your future. Focus on what is important to God and the rest will all fall in place just like a puzzle. Don't let the distractions in life cause you to get off point and lose focus of your end goal in life. Make memories to last a lifetime, share your memories with those you love. Don't be standing there on the last day of the year and wonder where those days went. Take your life by the horns and live it with fire, passion and a love for your Almighty God.

We've been trying to do that for almost two years now. I've been away from my job since August 2017 with the final result of a 4-level cervical fusion in May and recovery this year. It has been rough for me to slow down so that I can heal properly, but with patience and my sweet, loving family picking up where I left off, I'm making head way. Physical therapy is starting to show signs of progress which gives me hope. I'm ready to pick up where I left off, incorporate some passion for what I love, light a fire underneath me (motivation) and put God in my line of sight and let him lead me where I'm supposed to go. AMEN. It's time I put me first and live my life like I mean it! I'm encouraged daily to step out of my comfort zone and live life instead of watch it go by while I'm standing on the sidelines. That's my goal for 2019! What's yours?

My husband ran for and was elected Sheriff of our county and will take office in the morning. Just the organization, preparation and stress of all the negativity and lies that were spread on social media was enough to drive us (mainly me) crazy. Actually holding the office should make for a much interesting next four years for us. I know he will do a great job because he is fair, open-minded, honest, very level-headed and has his faith in God as his number one rule to live by. He has had many mentors along his 25+ year law enforcement journey that have taken him under their wing and shaped him into the very knowledgeable and humble person he is today. I encourage each of you to keep him and the family in your thoughts and prayers as he does his best to protect and serve the county he grew up in and loves dearly.

And last but not least, our baby of the family turned sixteen and has been keeping the county roads on fire ever since he got his truck. He's been the second of two joys I brought into this world and I wouldn't trade him for the world. He tries my patience while batting his eyes and pouting his lips (he's a clown), pushes my buttons, expands what "gray area" there is between matters that are black and white, but he's mine and I love him unconditionally. He is respectful of his elders, thanks every military person he notices for their past or current service and encourages those around him to do good deeds and be positive. God blessed us with this little heathern and we will love and nurture him, teach him and watch him grow. Or, we will kick him out and he will learn on his own. (Just kidding) It seems time is spinning out of control and he is getting closer and closer to graduation and I can't slow it down. He has my heart and we want the best life can offer him. Everyone wants only the best for their child. He's a good-hearted, respectful young man and I am blessed to call him my son.

So, now that you are facing the end of another year and looking at the fresh start of a new one, what is your focus? What is/are your goal(s)? Take the steps to think about it, write it down so that you're holding yourself accountable, and make it happen! We are looking forward to sharing new things to come here at Porch Swings & Sweet Tea so have a seat in a swing, have a sweet tea and stay tuned.

As always, thank you for taking time to stop by our blog and Happy New Year!

Cold Weather + Excess Water = Nothing Good!

Cold weather season is here and preparation is just a part of life for almost everyone. Unhooking all water hoses that are connected to the faucets, taking down the hummingbird feeders that were once the mecca of attention in the Summer, mowing the yard one last time and last but not least put out the winter feed and suet cakes for the birds that visit in the blustery cold weather. Did we get this done in time? Why, yes, we did. I've been enjoying my time watching the birds fuss and fight at the four feeders I have hanging outside my office window. 

One particular chilly morning as I was watching the morning show they put on for me, I noticed steam coming from underneath the front porch. Glenn came to take a look and said it was probably the dryer vent underneath leaking the heat. We didn't think another thing about it until our local meter reader rang the doorbell a few days afterwards. He asked me if I was running any water at the moment. I told him the dishwasher was running but that was all. He stood there and thought a moment and asked if we watered cattle. No, I told him we didn't water cattle, the cattle in the pasture weren't ours. He then proceeded to tell me that we had used 40,000 gallons of water in the past month and I just about fell over. HOUSTON, we have a BIG Problem!!! He said, "Ma'am, you most definitely have a leak somewhere between the meter and your house." Wow, I'd say problem. We haven't EVER used that much water. 

The water leak was found, thankfully, under the house where the hot water heater was located. The pop off valve was open and pouring hot water over the top of the heater and down the sides. Remember when I mentioned the steam coming from under the porch. Mmm-hmm. It wasn't the dryer, it was the steam from the hot water pouring under the house. It was nice and toasty under there. This leak explains why our electric bill was more than double and why our hot water didn't last long when taking a shower. But, to our surprise, this wasn't our problem. It was actually the water department whose water regulator was bad and wasn't regulating the water pressure coming in to our meter and further in to our pipes. Therefore, the water pressure that should have been around 60 was topping out at 140 and with the boiling of the water inside the hot water heater was forcing the pop off valve to open and let out all the hot water. The regulator has been replaced and all is now back to normal. I haven't seen the water bill yet, but I'm sure I'll be visiting the water department to negotiate the charges.

Moral to this story? Don't just assume steam under the porch is nothing to check out.

Hope all of you have a warm, safe and dry Merry Christmas!

Women Warriors touch my heart...MUST READ!

Hello everyone! Today, I didn't feel like talking about me and my porch swing. I wanted to get on my soap box not to preach down to anyone, but to lift up a couple of ladies that have worked hard to get where they are in life. Each one had a journey that spoke to my heart. I wanted to take a moment to lift them up, show them my appreciation and share them with my world.

Shalee Fore (PA) - https://www.facebook.com/shaleesmakeupempire/

Melissa Marshall (AR) -https://www.facebook.com/melissa.marshall.2013 her order site is http://www.hempworx.com/mamarshall

Both of these women are entrepreneurs that are amazing and positively motivating.

Melissa, a wife and mother, shares health products and well-being tips while proving it works with her family at that same time. She is a voice of truth and experience because the results are in the videos shes shares. My hat is off to her. I'm so proud of her conquering her goals like a Boss(of course she is the boss)!

Shalee, also a wife and mother, is sharing beauty tips and makeup tutorials while boosting confidence for other struggling women. She's so personable and comical to boot. It's not all candy and roses. Life is a struggle and Shalee shares it with her viewers. That's real.

Both have overcome obstacles that would have made me crawl back in bed, cover my head and cry while stuffing Oreos in my mouth. They are strong, courageous and warrior-minded; especially when it comes to their children. I can't say enough GREAT things about these two women. They both make my heart smile when they speak of new goals being accomplished. They both defeat the odds on a daily basis. Some days are epic fails, but giving up isn't an option for either. God put this on my heart today and so I am sharing with you.
I encourage you to go watch their videos and see their life struggles and how they help to boost the morale of those that need a hand up. They are both true Woman Warriors!

As always, thank you for taking time out of your day to stop by my blog. I hope this lifts your spirits today and encourages you to pay it forward for someone else.

Fall colors, Halloween rain, and a Cold start to November

Halloween went by with a torrential rain and cold temps. Today is much the same, but it is a new month. I'm ready for pumpkin overload, turkey everything and the wonderful sound of kids laughing and playing here for Thanksgiving. While the cold frigid weather outside isn't much for porch swing sitting, I can still sip on some sweet tea inside where it is warm. I'm sad that my favorite place outside our home is now getting packed away for the winter season, but my favorite spot inside is comfy, cozy and oh-so warm and inviting. Our den, a.k.a. the husband's man cave, has the look of an outdoors hunting lodge. But, of course, it is scaled down to one room. The walls and ceiling are a warm wood tone and the dark slate floors offset the walls so well. Below is a picture of our den before we replaced the flooring during the remodel. You can kind of get an idea of the tone and feel the walls project. With the furniture added into the room it's even more inviting.

See the warm glow of the walls. These walls mesmerize me. I absolutely LOVE them. Once the room is finished, pictures will be posted here and on my Facebook page. So, stay tuned for updated pictures. If you love the "outdoors-lodge" theme, you'll love how this turned out.
     Meanwhile, I would love to share some colorful fall photos taken on a hike my husband and I enjoyed last weekend. Weather forecasters were warning us that our current cold snap was on its way, so we jumped on the chance to get out and explore this outside panorama of color.

These pictures are just a small portion of what I call my outdoors home. I love where we live and am blessed to have this beauty close by. Rain or shine, these hills never disappoint with their display of beauty. No matter the season, it is always breathtakingly spectacular. Until my next adventure.....stay tuned!

As always, thank you for taking time out of your day to stop by my blog. Have a blessed day!

Welcoming cooler weather and wood smoke......again

Happy Monday morning everyone! We've been enjoying cooler fall temps and it has been welcomed with open arms. This morning is dreary, drizzly and cold but that is okay because it's Monday. As I look outside, I'm envisioning a day of warm pajamas, a warm blanket and snuggling on the couch with a good book or a good movie. We're allowed these kinds of days once in a while and I'm calling in mine today.

Yesterday we enjoyed a wonderful sermon at church and returned home to ready the yard and outside areas for colder weather. Hanging baskets were discarded. The overgrowth between the shop and the house removed with the tractor and taken to our burn pile. It looks much cleaner now.

Glenn began to work on our wood stove by cleaning out the huge pile of ashes and debris left from previous use and fixed a few things here and there. He began to split some kindling and crumple newspaper for a test fire. My heart skipped a beat when I saw what he was doing. There is a story behind why I get so happy and emotional about a wood stove fire. If you have time, today is the perfect day to tell you a story. So, here goes....

Many years ago when we were dating, where we live now was my husband's home place. His mom lived here with Glenn many years after her husband passed away in 1983. It was only the two of them after that day. They were each other's support through the good times and the bad. Then I came into the picture. His mom welcomed me into her home with a great big smile and always a hug. She was put in my life for a reason only God knows. I'm thankful for my short time with her and glad she loved me from day one.

In the winter time she had a wood burning furnace for her main source of heat and a wood stove in her den. During the cold weather after a ballgame we would stop by his house to visit awhile. She would have her stove fired up and my heart would melt. The smell of the burning wood in her cozy home just made me smile. It was comforting and somehow I felt like I was where I was supposed to be. I could live there all winter and be as tickled as a kid on Christmas morning. Something about the love she shared so willingly, along with the smell of wood smoke had me hooked...oh and her son of course. I was definitely smitten with him too! This is where I loved to spend most of my winters and can you blame me? I mean I had the best of both worlds here. A peaceful, quiet country setting with a cozy, warm home with the scent of wood smoke at every breath. All the synonyms for happy and content would describe my feelings.

We eventually married and moved away. As his mom got older in years, the wood fires in the magnificent old stove were fewer and far between. She eventually installed gas vented stoves to heat and the wonderful wood smoke scent I had loved so dearly was a mere flicker here and there. My heart was sad, but we understood her situation. She just couldn't keep up with the manual labor of hauling in the wood and throwing it in the fire when it was down to coals. It was just a fact of life "us kids" (that's what she always called us) had to accept. And, accept it we did. We always managed to squeeze in a few weekend stays during the cold winter months. While there, we were able to bring the wood stove back to life with a crackling fire. I oftentimes thought I might have had something to do with that, or maybe it was God putting the fire back in our hearts just a little while longer. Who knows. I cherished each visit, not just because I loved the smell of the burning wood wafting throughout the house, but I'd really cherished time with his mom. She taught me more and more about life with each visit through the years. She shared her wisdom and life experiences that most times left me in awe. I was left amazed at her way of life as a child. It was much more difficult than our generation. But, it was what it was and they did what they did because that's how life was. To hear her speak of it, she loved every minute because her home was filled with love, respect and discipline.

When God called her home, it was a huge loss for the entire family. In time, her home became run-down and unlivable. We purchased the house back to stop the destruction of such a valuable gem. It took us several years to repair the damage and bring the house back to life. We attempted to salvage what we could. Almost everything inside was destroyed, burned, sold or simply gone. This now brings me back to the wood stove. We were able to salvage the wood stove that sat in the den for many, many years. My heart is happy! We will be moving it back in the den where it belongs. The wood smoke will resurrect the memories in my mind of a simpler time in life. It will most likely bring tears to my eyes, but they will be welcomed because the memories are wonderful! I miss his momma and the wood smoke will lend her back to me for a little while. But, I'll take it with a smile on my face!

I'm so honored that you have taken time out of your day to stop by my blog. I hope that your Monday is a great one!

Goodbye Summer.....Hello fall, a 16 year-old, and hurricane season!

Good morning! Our area has begun to cool down a bit after a long hot summer. It was filled with beautiful sunny skies and lush green grass, but as the summer days went by, the green grass faded to brown with each cutting. Much time spent outside during our summer sent you back inside pouring with sweat and exhaustion.

 I was absent for much of these beautiful days due to my surgery recovery. It has been a struggle to recover and not go crazy. I'm not a good patient when it comes time to lay back and let time heal your wounds. I'm the caretaker of the family, not the patient. But, recovery goals are coming along slow but sure. Stepping out on our porch to take in nature's beauty has been more and more frequent now that the heat has subsided a bit. Each time I step out on the porch, it is like a time warp. I don't know if it's just the thought of leaving the chaos and noise of reality at the door or what, but time seems to slow down and reality becomes a blur. It's relaxing to slow down and listen to the conversations of nature and tune out the constant bickering of politics. It's as if you have escaped the drama and political madness of the world and peacefulness has enveloped your soul. Upon closed eyes, you can envision your own temporary reality where the rippling waters of the nearby creek almost lull you into a slumber, or the melodious songs of the birds take you to a whole new level of tranquility. This porch is magical and I can't help but sing from the rooftops about it. Everyone in this day and age needs a porch like this! Go get you one!

Now that I have you calm, relaxed, and ready to sip from your warm cup of coffee or tea, I'll update you with our latest adventures in our neck of the woods. Last I updated, we were enjoying our anniversary celebration and watching a baseball game with some dear friends. Not too soon after that, our son Zane had a birthday and it was a milestone birthday. It was his 16th birthday! He has been chomping at the bit to drive since before he was fourteen and he hasn't stopped talking about it. He has always been a talker; just like his dad. So, every conversation would start with, "when am I going to get a truck?", "when I get my truck.....", "am I getting a truck?", etc. You get the picture. It was all about trucks and everything he wanted to put in it, add to it, and make it cool. When he realized that all the "extras" he wanted cost money, they began to disappear from his want list to the point that it was just a running truck was all he wanted. So, that is what he received. He's been tickled with it since he got it. No surprises, no party, just a truck. He wanted it that way...much different that his older sister. He's been driving it non-stop, but he is now becoming frugal with the traveling due to gas prices. He is responsible for buying his gas except for two tanks a month provided by us. Now that he has realized that trucks use gas quicker than he expected, he's been on the hunt for a job to help fund his fuel and his "extras" list. This is a great learning tool for him. He is learning the value of money and how fast it goes when you "want" things instead of "need" things. My reply to his woes of life is, "welcome to reality son". And, I say it with a smile. This new found freedom has also taken a lot of strain off of us. He can drive himself to ball games, evening events he attends, etc. Or, we use him as an errand boy! But, when we do that, we pay him gas money-it's only fair in our opinion.

Since his birthday blew in like a welcomed summer storm, we've also had the annual hurricane call of duty for Glenn. Each year when hurricane season opens and the U.S. coasts are pummeled by high winds, flooding, and stranded home-owners, Glenn and his fellow workers with MIB-Fresenious Kidney Care Disaster Response Team work hand in hand with Fresenious Kidney Care Centers to secure any affected centers in the path of the hurricane. The duties range from guarding dialysis clinics, guiding/escorting fuel tankers, rescuing trapped patients, getting patients to and from dialysis clinics for treatment, and making sure the clinic employees are able to get to and from work safely. You name it, they make it happen. Kudos to the dangerous work they do without hesitation! My hat is off to all of them for working in such dangerous and some times deadly conditions. I and many others are very proud of them for all the work they do!

I'm so honored that you have taken time out of your day to visit my blog! And from my family to yours, have a GREAT day!

Happy 27th Anniversary!

This past weekend was our 27^th wedding anniversary. With the chaos that has surrounded us in the past year, I decided that this year we needed to get away and enjoy ourselves as much as my neck can tolerate and as much as Glenn’s shoulder can tolerate. I’m on the mend from a 4-level cervical fusion of C3-C7, opening of my spinal canal due to stenosis, and removal of a good-sized bone spur that was done on May 25^th of this year.  I quickly decided that since we’ve both been cooped up at home and haven’t done much of anything, we needed to go to a Cardinal’s ballgame. We brought along our good friends, and Glenn’s current Sheriff, Keith Slape and his wife Angela. It was a beautiful evening; the weather was the perfect temperature so that I wasn’t uncomfortable in my neck brace.

Before the game, Glenn and I had dinner at the Venetian Inn. This restaurant is pretty special because Glenn has been trying to take me there since we were dating almost 29 years ago. The timing was never right; until now. My expectations were blown away! It was a small “mom and pop” style diner that felt like you were dining at your grandmas for dinner. It was homey and warm feeling as you entered the door. The food was fresh, homemade Italian cuisine. It was hard to beat the fresh made pasta and their signature meat sauce. If you like authentic Italian food, I urge you to look them up and visit. You won’t regret it! Below is a snapshot we took at the restaurant sans neck brace to eat.

The game was great, even though we lost to the Arkansas Naturals. We laughed, visited and watched the firework show they put on at the end of the game.

 

 

 

It was just a pleasure and rather relaxing to enjoy company outside the confines of home. Glenn and I went back to our hotel room and got a good night’s rest before travelling back home the next day. We made random stops at antique shops and visited with a few of the owners about their merchandise. We took scenic routes along the way, which made for a relaxing journey for us. The weekend was a hit and we both had a very enjoyable time away and look forward to when we can get away again before he takes office in January. I hope to report more getaways with you as they happen. Stay tuned!

There's a new Sheriff in town

With all the excitement of the election primary and then a run off, I failed to reveal that my husband won his election. He is currently working on many issues and ideas that were a part of his campaign proposals. He is very busy learning the role and preparing for a smooth transition into the Sheriff's role.

Stay tuned for more updates on our new adventures and our crazy ride on the roller coaster called life.

Wake up Call

I posted this shortly after surgery and wanted to share my story of surgery recovery with you.

Enjoy!

This morning I made my way outside to water my flowers and that fete in itself wore me out. I’m very weak and that is something this girl isn’t used to at all. Usually I’m going 110 mph 24/7, but I hit a wall with this small task.  The situation with my neck has set me back further than I thought it would - I suppose I thought I’d bounce right back.

I’m normally a go-getter who takes care of everything and everyone. But, not this time. I’m on the other end of this spectrum and I’m trying to adjust to this new position; It’s hard. Glenn keeps telling me I have to slow down, let pain be my guide and other tidbits of advice. But, I’m hard headed and think I’m invincible. Now, though, God has shown me this is definitely not the case at all. He’s put me in my place a time or two since I’ve been home and basically shown me that I am NOT invincible, I DO need to slow down and let my body heal itself. Patience is a true virtue and something I don’t have enough of, but It appears I’m going to have to be during this process.

When I became worn out this morning, Glenn quickly guided me to the living room to sit to enjoy the life thriving outside our picture windows and brought me a cup of coffee as he continued getting ready for his day at work. He’d pop in and out just checking on me and making sure I was okay and not going to pass out again, like I had a couple of days before.  (Most of that experience is a blur to me.)  I reassured him I was okay each time, so he continued his routine.

This slow down allowed me time to reflect and think in the quiet. I was able to ponder situations that occurred in that house many years before, when Glenn’s mom was there during her many medical situations. After her many urgent medical procedures, heart surgeries, and so forth, how did she feel? How did she heal? Did she realize how serious her situation was? Did she cry? Was she scared? Could I have done more to be there for her? I will always question if I could have done more because of all she did for us without question.

I say all that to say this; we all live only once, we only have one chance to live our lives to the fullest, to enjoy it, to embrace it, to embrace others, to make the right decisions in life, to do the RIGHT things in life. Each decision takes you on a different path in life and each decision is your own. One wrong decision and the end to your story of life is changed completely. You can make it right again, but you have to be aware of this and seek a better solution to get back on track.

I encourage each of you, if you aren’t in a good relationship-GET OUT! But, make a clean break, don’t be petty. Leave the drama to TV. It’s not worth the drama. Be the mature, Godly person and just step away from the situation. If you aren’t in a good friendship-end it cordially and be upfront about why. Find your inner happy person that you were, or are, and get back to being that person. Be YOU, not who everyone else wants you to be. If you aren’t true to yourself, you can’t be true to everyone else.

This surgery, as you can tell, has really helped me to realign what is important in my life. I have very little time on this Earth to make a difference and it’s time for a positive turn to help others, help my family and friends, but first I’m looking at myself in the mirror and asking God to help me to find my true self. Only then I can begin to help not only myself, but others He brings into my life.

I had asked my neurosurgeon, Dr. Evans if they could take pictures of the surgery. I’m weird like that because I’m curious as to what happens to my body. They, of course, said they couldn’t photograph it for me. So when he came to check on me the next day, I asked him to explain in detail what he had done.

Dr. Evans said that it was a very serious surgery to fix some very serious problems. My spinal column and a large bone spur were against my spinal cord in places, so he had to literally saw the bone away, relieve pressure between vertebrae and do other in-depth procedures. Talk about some Godly interventional wisdom and guidance of his hands! One wrong move and I could have been paralyzed forever. He said one very serious spot that had been causing a lot of my arm pain and weakness was a spur that was right against the nerves at the C6-C7 junction. While he was sawing away the spur from the nerve, my arm would twitch and jump on the table. The nerve had been so impeded by the spur that it was transferring the vibration of the instruments through the bone and stimulating the nerves.  He also said that the nerves had been so restricted before that the sudden release of the pressure also caused some of the reaction. He added two titanium plates and screwed them down once all the repair work was done then closed the incision inside with stitches and glue on the outside.

I don’t remember much when I was coming out of the anesthesia, I’m sure I said some funny things and I had a very severe sore throat. Both the intubation and the act of accessing the spine through the front of my neck, requiring them to push my esophagus and everything else aside contributed to the irritation, soreness and swelling. Forgive me, Brother Andrew and whoever else that was in the room, for what I might have said in that post-operative, drug induced hazed.

Going into any surgery, I have a fear of not waking up; this time was no exception. I guess since I did wake up, God must not be not done with me yet. So, since you all know how emotional I was, and am and now that I’m resetting to a new more positive path in my life, you all can keep me in check. Because we all stumble. It’s just having the right people around you to wipe away the tears and pick you back up with encouragement to continue on your way.

Nearing Election Day and surgery day

     This morning was crisp and cool after the rain from last night. The sun was hiding behind the clouds and the birds were basking in the cool air. They have been fluttering and feeding and chattering amongst each other. The creek below is singing my song as it flows through each verse of peace and relaxation. Life is peaceful here on the home front today.
     The campaign is in high gear and Glenn is ramping up his campaign and reaching out door to door when he isn't working, doing podcasts to let the voters hear his words of encouragement and forward thinking. We are keeping a forward motion on this until the very last day, which is election day May 22.
     We are also preparing for my cervical spine surgery, which is set for May 25th. It will be a four level fusion of C3-C7. This will be a very serious and long surgery, but much needed to help repair degenerative disc disease that is more advanced than should be at my age. I also have bulging discs and pressure on my spine which is causing myolopathy.
     I will post again with the results of the election and again once I have recovered from surgery enough to blog again.
   On a good note, school is almost out and Zane couldn't be more excited to sleep in and enjoy the spoils of summertime fun.
     Hope all of you have a great day!

Below is the podcast link copy and paste to watch:

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=321210258414118&id=292471364621341

Windy Trails

It’s a windy morning on the home front. Glenn and I made our rounds on the campaign trail last night. We got to visit with some very good folks and enjoyed listening to concerns of the community as well. We put up more signs, but to be honest, Glenn did more chasing them down in the wind than anything. Those suckers can fly! But, luckily he was able to retrieve them all. We batten down the hatches and we went on our way back to our business.

My previous post on our other campaign trail stops was accidentally deleted and I can’t seem to find it anywhere, so just know we are hot on the trail of talking to the community. We now how radio ads on 96.1 and 97.5 for now and are working on ads for 102.9 the Z. We are excited for the ideas we have coming in the very near future. We hope we get a chance to see you and get to share Glenn’s ambitions and ideas for the county as well as listen to the concerns of the constituents as well. He is a good listener, so bend his ear if you need to. That is what he is here to do. He is running to take care of you and this wonderful county.

We are still putting out signs in various areas and if we haven’t gotten to you yet, we will. We have a long list of names we are running down as we go. We appreciate everyone’s kind words of encouragement, support, and even constructive criticism. We all need that from time to time and some things do need to be brought to light because you never know, Glenn may not have any idea about the situation. But, you can be sure, if he doesn’t, he will look into it. Again, we appreciate your support and hope that the storms predicted for this Friday find you still safe and sound. Have a wonderful weekend and God Bless you all!

Welcome to Porch Swings & Sweet Tea!

Welcome to Porch Swings & Sweet Tea!

    I have been anxious to get this blog up and running so I can share with each of my readers a piece of our life. Our home county and our southern way of life is as the title of this blog suggests; It's usually a peaceful and relaxing lifestyle and location where spring and summer are filled with the sweet smell of flowers and the air is often heavy with the scent of freshly fallen rain. A favorite pastime is sitting on the front porch swing, sippin' sweet tea and listenin' to the flowing creek down by the bridge in our front yard. 
   We enjoy life with friends and family and love sharing stories of not only days gone-by, but recounting current events so that our future generations know where their families came from and how the way of life has evolved through the generations.

     So, with that being said, let me introduce our family that will be mentioned on this blog from time to time.

• Me- Stacey: The Matriarch of the family
• Husband- Glenn: The Patriarch of the family (currently running for our county Sheriff)
• Daughter #1- Beth: Graduated from college and living life to the fullest. Obtained her dream job and her dream vehicle (Red Jeep Wrangler) She's a very outgoing independent woman and we are very proud of her and all she has accomplished in her life so far.
• Daughter#2- Alex: Graduated from college and is living her life along with Beth (they are actually best friends but we've basically "adopted" her into our family and is more like family to us.)
• Son- Zane: In high school, is so full of life and is quite the comedian like his dad. Sometimes he has to be reined in a bit, but for the most part, he is a very respectful, loving young man who cares for others and, if forced, will do chores around the place. If his privilege of driving his dirt bike is on the line, he's all about doing whatever he needs to do to stay in good graces.