mini date night

The hubs and I went out for a little dinner last night. I've been wanting to try to get out a little more, and I came up with a brilliant idea of how I can achieve this. Go LOCAL, spend little TIME, spend little MONEY. I tend to forget all of the great little restaurants tucked here and there, in our neighboring towns. I'm on a mission to try these paces, some of them, for the first time. It's a great way to get in some "alone time", a mini date, with my hubby. Here's the thing: when I get the itch to have date night with my hubby, I tend to agonize over details like: where, when, cost, and fun factor. I set my expectations too high. Date night for us is pretty rare and so I guess that's why I try to make it special. So, instead of making date night a rare occasion, I've decided to make it semi frequent, close to home, and 2 hour increments....give or take. I've also decided to take advantage of the little "gems" in our neighboring towns. There may not be a lot in each little town around here, but each little town does have a precious few. The few that have stood the test of time because they are "mom and pop" places with good eats! So, our first mini date last night went great! I loved it. It was sweet, nice and to the point. We were gone about an hour and a half and it was just right and enjoyable. I'm liking this!

How to find a local swimming hole in your neck of the woods

swimming hole

definition: a place, as in a stream or creek, where there is water deep enough to use for swimming.

 

  

My son and  I spent  Sunday afternoon at one of our local swimming holes. Swimming out in nature is so refreshing and exhilarating!  It's been said that cold water swimming is good for you. I can tell you from personal experience, I feel absolutely fantastic during and after swimming in cold, fresh water... no chemicals, just plenty of fresh air and sunshine!  Do you have a  local swimming hole you love to swim at? 

 * HOW TO FIND A LOCAL SWIMMING HOLE WHERE YOU LIVE * 

  

1)  ask the locals,  especially people who've grown up in your area

2) the internet, http://www.swimmingholes.org/ scroll down to the map....in the bottom left hand corner there is  a box that says "move map to:"....simply type in your county and state and it will bring up the known swimming holes in the area...hover over each spot marked for more information on each spot.

*As always, use caution and common sense when swimming in nature. Beware of shallow spots and hidden bolders beneath the water...so don't go diving without first checking out if it's safe!! 

Don't forget to pack a picnic basket full of snacks or sandwiches and plenty of cold  drinks.  We get mighty hungry and thirsty swimming in cold water and climbing around on rocks.

Cape Cod or bust!

Hello  friends! I am writing this post to you a few days before we depart for our family vacation to Cape Cod, Massachusetts. We are all, soooo very excited!! Most everything is packed and ready to be strategically tucked and squished, into our van. We're camping for 7 nights on the Cape, so we've got a lot to tote along with us on our 12 hour drive north. 4 bicycles, an 8 man tent, 2 tarps, 2 queen sized air mattresses, 1 big cooler, picnic basket, dry goods food, clothes, beach towels, bath towels, fishing rods, tackle box, medicine cabinet, camp stove, utensils for cooking on the camp stove and utensils for cooking over the fire, cast iron Dutch oven, cast iron fry pan, griddle....and that's basically it in a nut shell as well as a bunch of other misc. things that go along with camping. I've been planning meals for the Dutch Oven...looking for one pot meals such as chili mac and chicken stew covered with biscuits. I can't wait to make eggs, bacon, sausage and coffee on those chilly mornings. Yes, it will be chilly in the morning and at night as it is only early June. However, I have checked the 10 day forecast and the first four days we are there, it is supposed to be 73 degrees and sunny! We won't do any real swimming in the ocean, but we will do plenty of exploring of tide pools and digging for clams in the bay when the tide goes out. We are packing bathing suits....we just might be brave enough if we get a really warm day. The water temp is 63 degrees right now. Honestly, we are not deterred by the weather. There is so much to see and explore on Cape Cod and I prefer it to be not too hot. We are planning on going for a cruise on a sail boat...that will be a beautiful little day trip! We are also planning on taking a ferry over to Martha's Vineyard for the day....we plan to visit a few lighthouses there. Well, I must get back to laundry and packing...I just wanted to check in and let you all know about our little vacation. Of course I will post pictures when we get back!

Out of sync

As many of you know, I took a little vacation to visit my sister in Long Island, NY. It was definitely exciting and adventurous. I am so glad I went...I want to return and see more of what the city has to offer! There is plenty left to discover! We spent a lot of time in the city...  A LOT of walking and A LOT of subway riding...not to mention many steps, up and down in the subway areas.  We left the house each morning around 10am and returned each night around 10pm. We were exhausted, but somehow found the strength to get back up and do it all over again the next day!! Spending the better part of our time in the city, I am happy to say, that I feel a  true appreciation for it.

I learned that, for myself, it took a few hours, on the first day in the city, before I started feeling comfortable.
 

It was quite the assault to my senses and I was surprised that I felt that way. I am accustomed to rural areas, green and lush, and very quiet.  So, as you can imagine, the constant honking, the sound of car engines, revving and stopping, revving and stopping, the echoing of the "beep, beep, beep" back-up alarm sound on large trucks, jack hammers for construction, ambulance sirens, music, all echoing off of the buildings...also the amount of people...dodging them to your right and left...I always felt like I was in someones way... and the smell of heavenly food drifting from open air restaurants...but then, mixing with the dank, foul smell of the sewers, at the corners of each street...

...that is quite confusing to sensory system in the brain...

It's like, I like it, oh, wait, that's not good, oh man, that smells horrible, wait, something smells fantastic, oh wow, I want to eat that....oh no, wait, oh that's bad, oh that's vomitous....oh hold on, something good is cooking, I must find it...oh no, stop, no.

The bombardment I felt, was overwhelming. I hate to admit it because I don't think of myself as a wimp! And then I start thinking to myself, "and you actually were contemplating going on a mission trip to Cuba???? ya, that makes total sense, you can't even handle a day in New York City, you big baby! ya, great idea, you'd last about 2 minutes!"

LOL!

My honest feeling of the city, at first, was not good. I was really thinking to myself, I don't like this...and, I don't "get it". That is my most vivid memory of coming up out of the subway smack dab in the middle of Manhattan....very busy, very crammed, and very loud...very assaulting to the senses.

HOWEVER, it wasn't long before I started enjoying myself, finding my rhythm, popping in and out of coffee houses, bakeries, bagel shops, Asian restaurants,

and......EVERYTHING was delicious! I was very surprised!! I did not experience one disappointment from any shop, cafe, or person.  Soon, I started to fall in love...and I "got it". Especially when we started exploring the more residential parts of the city with the brown stones and local neighborhood eateries.

Ok....so I have summed up my trip, in a nutshell...there's lots of details, but I won't bore you...you now know, that I thoroughly enjoyed my trip to the big city...you understand that I want to go back for more...now, I want to tell you about my "out of sync-ness" that followed my trip to New York...and my disappointment that I cannot get out of this funk!

I wonder if anyone can relate to this???

~  * ~  * ~  *

I have been home now for 2 weeks and I am still not really back into my groove. How is that possible? How can a 6 day vacation in the city disrupt my life so much? The first few days back, I kinda did the old "walk in circles" thing....should I do this? should I do that? What bills need paid? Is there any food in the freezer? Should I do some laundry? Should I start dinner now? Should I take a nap? It's so weird how that happens.

Ok, so here's the personal price of going on vacation...let me set the scene.  Before I left for New York, I had been in a blissful state of euphoria. It was good! The earth was blossoming with green-ness!!  Wild flowers were plentiful and speckled the field behind our house. The hens were laying abundantly, the quail were beginning to plump up and grow feathers. We were experiencing a plethora of birds every morning, singing and flitting about, more than we had ever been privy to!

I was feeling very excited and homey and lovey dovey about my recent purchase of canning supplies and learning how to can and preserve locally grown fruits and vegetables this summer. I guess you could say I was feeling a great connection to the earth and what it gives us and how it nourishes and nurtures us.

Also, I was reading the Bible every night before bed, and every morning...specifically setting aside time {I have a new study Bible} I was absorbing  it and learning a lot. It was definitely bringing a lot of peace and clarity into my life, and I was appreciative. I felt very content. I was beginning to feel more humble and less judging. I was understanding where it is that God wants me right now, asking Him for His will, every day, and really, truly meaning it.

I am telling you.... I was in sync!!!

IN SYNC!

It's all gone now.

I am trying to get it back, but I can't quite catch that swinging rope...it's just out of reach, it keeps swinging back towards me, I reach for it, but I can't grasp it... and I feel yick! I think I feel "yick",  but I'm not sure...cause I can't describe it.

I know I will get it back, I know it.

The peace is in me, I just have to tap into it again.

I want it back.

I want that feeling back again.

In sync.

Sympatico with God and nature.

My goodness, it was a wonderful high.

I've experienced it before, and I will experience it again...I just got bumped off the familiar path a little.

Funny thing is, I had a feeling this would happen.

I just had a feeling... a feeling that by leaving this place, home, my children and husband... it would disrupt the natural flow of my life....... and the peace I was feeling would to drift away, like a silk scarf slipping from my neck, slowly at first, but then lifted on a summer breeze, to be quickly carried away..... out of reach and out of sight.

Yes, poetic, I know...but that is how I tend to see everything.

Even though I was so excited to go to Long Island and New York City, I must admit, there was a part of me that didn't want to go anymore....because I knew the price.

Dang.

Truly, I must keep this in perspective here....it's not as if my world would end...I am not THAT dramatic.

So, guess what?

Just about the time I get back to sympatico with God and nature....

{and I will...}

in  2 weeks....

my hubby and I are packing up the kids and heading out on a  family vacation to Cape Cod for a week.

Can you say disruption, folks?

hahaha!

Oh man, too funny!

I remain positive about it though...I know that God uses all for His purpose... for His plan for my life. I wonder what this recession in my psyche means??

What does He want me to learn from this?

I never doubt there is a lesson in everything.

Let me say this about our upcoming vacation to Cape Cod!!! I am SOOO looking forward to it! So are my hubby and our children!  This is going to be a very relaxed, very beautiful vacation. We're camping and riding our bikes to the beach....oh ya, and eating plenty of lobster rolls, clam chowder and fried clams. We have a day trip to Martha's Vineyard planned as well as an afternoon cruise on a beautiful sailboat.  If anything, sitting on the beautiful beaches of Cape Cod, and breathing in all that fresh ocean air, listening to the rhythmic lull ocean and the cry of sea gulls...that will definitely bring about a peaceful mind and attitude!
In the meantime, I will get back to my Bible study...cause I have gotten away from it!!! I know, I know!

Happy summer!

I've been out of town!

Momma has been busy! Momma left the nest for 5 days... Momma went to NYC by herself! Momma stayed with her sister Elaine, on Long Island! Momma ate some food....Momma took some photos. Momma rode the subway... Momma walked her butt off! Momma is tired,  but Momma is happy! Momma will be back to tell you more!  :)

Buttermilk Falls, Homewood PA

Last weekend, I took my children on a hike to Buttermilk Falls, located in Homewood, PA. I had expected to take photos and maybe dip our feet in the cool water. Well! I was more than pleasantly surprised to find that we could swim in a beautiful, natural swimming hole at the base of the falls.

Long ago, the area was a stone quarry.

The height of the falls is a whopping 35 feet.

We weren't aware of Buttermilk Falls and were happy to learn it was just 25 minutes from our home...approximately 11 miles away. What a beautiful, natural sanctuary! A place to get away, cool off from the 90 degree temps, get back to nature and restore our soul!

We went on a Saturday and the kids talked me into going back again on Sunday!

<

My favorite part was swimming towards the falling water, looking up and getting closer and closer...it's just an incredible perspective.

You'll notice, I swam in my clothes. We weren't prepared with bathing suits, although we did bring a couple of towels in case we got just a little wet. Of course, with my permission, my boys kicked off their socks and shoes and jumped right in. At first I sat on a big rock and watched, but soon I could not resist! I just had to go in. I knew the ride home would be uncomfortable...but I knew it would be well worth it!! I have to say, we all had a blast. It was the most incredible experience I've had in a long time!