Let's Have Another Piece of Pie
Sometimes life cries out for a nice break from the daily routine …… a pie break, so to speak. A time to sit, to listen, to reflect. To taste the sweetness of life.
I grew up in the north east of the USA. We had many traffic circles. When I became a driver I thought they were awesome. Then slowly they began to disappear.
We moved to the mid-west about seven years ago and lo and behold…… mini-traffic circles seemed to appear in the oddest of places. By that I mean on roads less traveled and they call them Round-Abouts…….
Life goes round and round and round in a circle game…..
Have a great weekend!
Enjoy!
Cate B
Yesterday my husband and I took a drive – we do that a lot. I just love getting into the surrounding countryside to see what I can see. I know I’m not the best photographer and my camera needs an upgrade, but I just love trying to capture what I see.
It has been a desire of mine to see a sunflower field. We tried, a month ago on a trip to Kansas, to find one. After all, the sunflower is the state flower of Kansas. But yesterday we went off into the countryside looking for a Missouri State Conservation Area that I came across on Google that shared our last name – Bryson.
We were only about thirty minutes from home and couldn’t find the area. My husband wanted to turn back but I wanted to go a little further. I love going the extra mile – the adventure of the unknown.
As we turned the bend in the road we spotted a large field full of yellow. Do I dare to hope? As we got closer this is what we saw:
We were thrilled beyond words! I wanted to go a little further and then turn around and go back and get out of the Jeep to get closer pictures…… But there was a side road up ahead (not paved) that ran along the side of the field. There was another car there already taking pictures. We pulled over and here is what I captured:
Isn’t it amazing?? We were so blessed. It got better – thanks to my adventure spirit – we kept going on the gravely dirt road. The unknown. And guess what? We found our Conservation Field:
Made our day!
Enjoy!
cate b 😀
As I have posted before, The Burg is a small town in the mid-west. It happens to be the county seat. One of the treasures in this area are the other towns surrounding us. Some are in the same county and some are not. But most are only between eight and 30 miles away.
I went to Leeton, MO a week ago and went back the other day with my camera. Leeton is quite small with a population of a little over five hundred people. The buildings from down town are awesome, but sadly, vacant or used as housing, I think. I always feel sad when small town America is no more.
I’ll let the images talk. Please know that the last photos are something I do not understand totally or agree with. I’m sure (hopeful) that the resident is not totally aware of how this affects others. Especially when you read some history of the town and how the founder served in the Union Army for several years. Also, given the recent occurrences of racial tension in our nation (or should I say ongoing?) I can’t help but think this is a problem……
Enough of that. Enjoy the photos. I love this area of our country.
cate b
We had a great time with Friends this weekend. We drove about an hour to a town that has a population of 159! Say what? Yes, 159. That’s one hundred fifty-nine people.
They have a restaurant that is famous for it’s pie. The lunch was also good. But best of all getting together with Friends is the whole pie! We went with a couple from The Burg and met up with a couple from Springfield, MO. Now the Friends have more Friends. I love to connect people.
After we left the booming town of Collins, with a population of 159, we took the old highway and enjoyed nature! The wildflowers were in full bloom and I was so caught up in the enjoyment of The Creator that I did not take so many pictures. Not to mention the two turtle crossing the road were left behind (much to their delight I’m sure).
Next stop, Osceola Cheese store! Samples galore of all kinds of cheeses. A must stop if you find yourself in western Missouri.
Without further ado, here are some photos.
Enjoy!
cate b
I have had the opportunity to travel across my nation at least ten times. I have lived in about six out of fifty states. I have entered many more – but not all fifty -yet. There is such a vast difference in landscapes and climates in the USA. I have yet to see the Grand Canyon and Alaska………. so much to see.
I am presently vacationing in the state where I grew up. Therefore, this post will be short – but sweet.
|
This Land Is Your Land This land is your land This land is my land As I was walking that ribbon of highway, I’ve roamed and rambled and I followed my footsteps When the sun came shining, and I was strolling, As I went walking I saw a sign there In the shadow of the steeple I saw my people, Nobody living can ever stop me, |
More pictures will follow soon. But until then, here is a pic of the New York skyline – minus The Twin Towers of The World Trade Center 😦
Enjoy!
cate b
My heart and prayers are with all those effected by the storms across our nation this week. Such loss, such upheaval. I’m so sorry these people have to go through this. It is truly life changing. https://wingedprisms.com/2012/07/22/our-darkest-day/
Our area of the mid west escaped much of the devastation. For that I am thankful. I am thankful that more lives weren’t lost. I am thankful and I am praying that the “season” ends quickly. I am praying that these now stronger Americans can pick themselves up and start again and keep going forward.
cate b
It is February 2nd, 2014. Each year, on this date in the USA, we celebrate Groundhog Day. We anxiously await the prediction of the famous groundhog, Punxsutawney Phil, to tell us when spring will come. This winter, in particular, we want to hear of an early spring arrival. Didn’t happen. The famous furry creature has told us six more weeks of winter .
It’s an amusing celebration that we have acquired over the years. But what made it even more fun for us Americans was Hollywood’s production of Groundhog Day starring Bill Murray and Andi MacDowell. Totally enjoyable and some watch it every year to add to the fun of it.
This year is extra special. The Superbowl is today also! And the game will be in New Jersey (my home state) where it is very cold right now. But even more special for my husband and I is the fact that five years ago, this very day, we drove all our possessions into Kansas City, Missouri to begin a new adventure. Here we are. It has been an adventure of ups and downs and adjustments. Now we look forward to more………….
Happy Sunday everyone and oh, Happy Groundhog Day to y’all!
Enjoy!
cate b
I know the internet is being bombarded right now with blogs and such of Thanksgiving and being Thankful posts. I don’t always feel compelled to join the crowd…… but here goes.
While skimming through posts and Facebook I saw someone ask what is the American Thanksgiving all about? It has definitely lost a good portion of its meaning over the years. Here is a nutshell of its origin: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thanksgiving_(United_States)
To my family, we love to get together and just be. We love each other and get along. We absolutely love the feasting and talking about the feasting and next years food. We do give a prayer of thanks to our Lord for each other and for all He has done for us. And we eat, and eat and enjoy each other’s company and miss the ones who couldn’t be with us.
There it is. I am thankful. I have very little needs and have more wants than needs I think. And I usually whittle my wants list to one or two things when I realize I really don’t need most of the wants. We are healthy. One thing I do want is to see more positive posts on Facebook instead of hateful and angry posts how our country and it’s politicians are so stupid and wrong. I know they are. I’m not blind and I don’t turn a deaf ear, but being angry at the angry and stupid people will never solve anything. I choose to try my best to hear all sides and pray that God will have mercy and that He will be heard by all who cry out to Him for the future of our nation. I choose to do my best and vote for the right people. Not any one group is 100% correct.
So on that note, I wish all you Americans a wonderful and thankful Thanksgiving holiday. And to all my friends in other nations I wish you health and prosperity in all forms.
Enjoy!
wingedprisms (cate b)
Another tragedy for America – The Boston Marathon Bombings. With each disaster that hits our nation comes a twinge of pain, as in an old wound that acts up from time to time. When we experienced first hand a great loss in our family (see Prisoner of Hope series on this blog) it brought a wound that will never totally heal. I’m not even sure that is the right phrasing – I feel I’ve healed in the sense that I got through the initial shock and severe blow of loss – but the pain of loss will always be there. It will pop up when I hear of others pains and loss. It acts up much like arthritis or other similar ailments due to weather change, etc. But much harder. With each new attack of disaster or missing children or even forecasts of severe storms, the pain twinges.
But know that with each twinge it does a good thing deep down inside of me. I’ll try to put it into words. I think that those who understand these words will get this and those who don’t quite, but almost, it will cause you to look deeper within. These twinges bring to me a strong desire for fellow human beings. We are all vulnerable to hard times, to disasters, etc. No one is exempt from hard times. No one. So my heart aches and hurts for those who are hit – in any shape or form – from bullying to misunderstandings to loss and devastation.
My heart goes out to Boston and all those who attended that Marathon. It was a day that represents great victory for all who trained and ran – and turned into such a low blow – such heart ache.
My heart goes out to those who can’t grasp this. I saw some FB posts that implied that this is daily occurrence in other nations – so we should think more of them. I understand that. But here in the USA it is not a daily occurences. It is not part of our daily lives. My heart aches for those nations who do live this way in fear, I want that to change for them. But I also want America to rise up and unite and stand on our roots. I want us to want violence to stop. I don’t know if this is realistic or not. But THERE IS ALWAYS HOPE. ALWAYS.
I pray for our law and government safety enforcement and medical teams to be safe and to have wisdom to thwart these plots in advance. I pray for all who attended that fear would not become a part of their lives and I pray for those who lost that healing would come and they would become stronger through such loss. and able to help others.
God bless,
cate b.
I think most people in the United States of America have seen, or at least heard of the movie Sarah, Plain and Tall starring Glenn Close and Christopher Walken. The Hallmark Channel seems to show the movie series on a somewhat regular basis. I do believe I’ve seen them each about three times, if not more.
This series is about a farmer in the mid west who lost his wife. To find a new wife and a mother of his already born children he places an ad in a newspaper for a mail order bride. Sarah, from the coast of Maine answers his ad. She leaves the sea and the plush green north-east and journeys to the dry mid west and a new adventure in life. The story is wholesome and pure and rather good for a cold rainy day indoors. I find it particularly interesting that both stars have played some pretty sketchy roles in other films. 😉
All this said to tell you my Cate, Plain and Tall saga. I grew up on the very humid and green east coast of the USA. I did spend several years in southern California but landed back in the east for several more. Four years ago my husband and I packed up and sold house and left some of our children and grandchildren to begin a new journey in the mid west. Like Sarah, I miss the smell of the ocean and the sand between my toes. I miss the cooling down of temperatures in the late afternoon – here it begins cool down at about 3 am – about twelve hours too late.
I miss the food we ate back east – I miss the bakeries. I miss the seafood. I miss the pizza. I miss the hoagies. I miss the WAWA! I miss the attitudes from time to time. You always know where a nor’easter person is coming from – right to the point. I miss Easter dinner with my son and his family and all other gatherings with them! What it comes down to is I miss what is familiar to me. I’ve found that most people I’ve met here that have grown up in this area and never left to live anywhere else do not understand those who have. They don’t understand that you actually go through a type of culture shock. At least they speak English here.
So, I found I had to find new familiars. I love the warm and sometimes hot dry wind that blows through here – as long as it’s not associated to a tornado. Getting out and discovering things native to this land is fun. I love the wild birds and the plants. I love the local coffee shops and roasteries and the local restaurants. I love the abundance of STEAK! I love the friendliness of the people and the variety of culture offered in the metropolitan areas. Not so fond of red BBQ sauce unless taken in moderation.
I believe life should be adventurous – for me. I get easily tired with the same old, same old. Need to feel like there is always progression even if I stay in the same town for decades. I just love to look for the adventure in whatever it is I’m doing now.
I guess what I’m trying to say here is that I am glad we came to the mid-west and I like it here. I’ve looked and will continue to look for the adventure in this land. Like Sarah, Plain and Tall I will always miss the shore and the things that formed me at a young age but have learned to find my new familiars and things that I love in this part of my life’s adventure. I Hope you all can do that in whatever you are doing or in where ever you are living for the now.
Enjoy.
cate b – Cate, Plain and Tall
Let's Have Another Piece of Pie 