Heart and soul

It is so muggy here today, that it makes me long for fall!

I have been listening to music most of the day. I have played the American Prayer video a million times. I became inspired by the democratic convention and I think I may even volunteer some time to it. No matter what happens, it is an important and historical election, and I want to contribute in any small way that I can.

In general I love music. I am uplifted and moved by it, sometimes I play songs over and over again because I feel like I can't quite get enough and because I don't want the feelings to end when the song does. Over and over, sometimes if it is a new song, I want to learn every word and lick, even though I can't sing, or play an instrument. So I can't say I wasted the day, because music not a waste. It was feeding the heart and soul day.

Tomorrow we are taking my son back to college. It will be a quick visit up north and it is supposed to be a nice day, so the drive will be pleasant. He has been home most of the day packing and we have been all spending time talking politics, family, and everything in between. As usual, it is always a little bit sad when he leaves and we return to our empty nest, but we adjust pretty quickly.

So everyone have a happy and safe Labor Day weekend!

Become inspired

American Prayer

Over the hump day

I am sitting out on the deck after supper and it is actually chilly enough for a jacket. Just a reminder that summer is fading away.

I went back to work this week after 2 weeks away and it felt good to be back. I enjoyed diving right in and getting things accomplished. The students come back next Tuesday, so we were all busy with orientation and getting the place all spruced up. So many new staff to get to know.

In my job, I go back and forth between 4 buildings so I don't work side by side with enough of the folks long enough to really get to know them so their names don't stick with me. Every year we grow bigger, and I didn't even master the all the names from last year yet. I have to figure out a way to remember every one's name! It is embarrassing to be walking down the hall and need to call out to someone and go blank when it comes to their name.

Other news:

My son's girlfriend was bitten by a dog the other day. It is so ironic because we were all at the dog park in the morning with about 70 dogs running loose, all behaving and not one incident with any of the dogs.

Later in the day, after playing tennis she was walking to her car and a dog on a leash came over to her. When she gently put her hand out to let the dog smell her hand, (as the dog whisperer says to do) the dog bit her. The owner started yelling at her and when she lifted her arm and saw blood dripping down, the owner ran away with his dog. He fled off to the condo buildings across the street.

Unfortunately, now she has to get all the shots for rabies. She had 6 the first time at the hospital and is on a schedule to go back for more. The police are on the look out for the guy and the dog, but I doubt they will find them.

It is hard to believe that someone would run off like that and he was an an older person, not a kid.

I admire how well she is handling the situation, and although the shots are not pleasant, thank goodness there are shots available to cover all the risks involved.

Well, it is cold enough now to go inside and make a hot cup of tea and maybe I will finally make some zucchini bread.

An Award

Jamie of Grace, too chose me as one recipient of this award, my very first blogging award ever! Thank you, Jamie!

Here are the rules,

1. Only five people are to receive this award.
2. Four of them are followers of your blog.
3. One has to be new to your blog and live in another part of the world.
4. You must link back to the person who gave you this award.

Now I have to choose five blog friends to pass this along to. I have chosen the following:

Forsythia, Life in Merlin USA

Patty, Patty's Perspective USA

Ruth, Visions and Revisions USA

Kelly Jene, The Moohaa USA

At this point I don't have anyone new to my blog from another part of the world, but if I ever do, I will pass this on to them. Hope that is O.K. I am not usually a rule breaker, lol!!

Doggie park

I have been home a couple of days now and have tried to catch up on house stuff and I also lounged quite a bit reading a novel called, Flowers in the Attic, by V.C. Andrews. It is a creepy sort of story about some children locked away in the attic, but it was also quite a page turner. I believe it was made into a movie, but I never saw it. I discovered that there are a couple of sequels to it and I have one of them on hold at the library already. I don't usually like creepy stories and if I have bad dreams tonight, I will cancel the hold! LoL.

This morning we went to the dog park to visit with my son and his friends and our grand-dog, as we like to call him. There is Tucker on the left. Dog parks are becoming all the rage on the East coast now. Since the swimming season is over for the summer, the Humane Society was charging $5.00 to let the dogs run free on the beach and swim in the pond, and their owners have to pay $1.00. All the money benefits the Humane Society, and they bring in dogs that they want to find homes for, so some good matches are made.

I was sitting reading my book and a beautiful Golden Retriever came and dropped his ball in front of me and barked at me until I picked it up and threw it for him to fetch. So he kept coming over to me dropping his ball for me to throw. One time, the ball rolled underneath the bench. My friend was behind the bench at the time and she picked it up and gave it to me to throw for the dog. Well, the dog didn't chase the ball this time. Instead, he looked at it and then he walked behind the bench to see if the ball was still there. When he realized that his ball wasn't there, he ran to fetch it realizing it was the one I threw.

I am guessing because he didn't see me pick up the ball, he didn't think it was the ball he dropped. I was impressed that he only wanted to fetch his ball. A very smart dog.

It was fun to watch the dogs all running free and playing together, even though at times we got a soaking when they were shaking themselves dry.

More museums

In the garden at Hildene

Hildene - home of Robert Todd Lincoln

The marble quarry

Today we spent the morning at the Bennington Museum home of the Grandma Moses collection as well as antique furniture, glassware, pottery, etc. I enjoyed this museum quite a bit and especially loved the Grandma Moses wing.

Later we drove over to Dorset and hung out at the nation's oldest quarry, which happens to be all marble. It is beautiful spot and if it had been warmer out today, we would have taken a swim. But it was good to just lounge in a chair and read.

On the way home we took a wrong turn (and we were glad we did) and ended up on the road to Hildene, the summer home of Robert Todd Lincoln (Abe's son). So we decided to go and take the tour. It is a beautiful home and the scenery breath-taking, as noted in the pictures above.

Something about the hills of Vermont that make me swell with emotion. I love them and I always feel sad when we head back to the flatlands. We will be back soon when we take our son to school in a couple of weeks, so it won't be long until we meet again.

Bits of Bennington

Later this afternoon we drove on over to Vermont. I am posting pictures of sculptures that are scattered all over downtown. It is unnerving because you think they are real people and it is always startling that they aren't.

I think they come alive and take over the town at night fall.