Outdoors Indoors

And speaking of the outdoors or should I say, bringing the outdoors indoors. I endlessly collect items during my hikes and on my travels to bring back home for some use or another. Or just for the sake of it because it calls to me. I think I should have been an archaeologist or botanist or historian or photographer. I probably need to explain each one in its own blog post.

I also swear that I am a descendant of Johnny Appleseed. As I hike the orchards in my town and surrounding towns I picture him with his burlap sack throwing seeds to start orchards like this years ago. He is wearing ragged overalls, a plaid shirt and a floppy wide-rimmed straw hat. He is tall and thin and he walks jauntily up and down the hills smiling.

The other day I sang the Johnny Appleseed song to my husband as we hiked. He was shocked I knew a song like that. (I learned it at Camp Mohawk in Connecticut.  Shout out to summer camps)
"Oh, The Lord is good to me.
And so I thank the Lord.
For giving me
The things I need.
The sun and the rain and the apple seeds.
The Lord is good to me."

Composer ?? unknown to me... Was it Johnny himself?

I think there was a "John ?" in real life who was involved in the apple business founding in America. As I hiked the other day his name was on the tip of my tongue. I just rattled it off to my husband. Can't remember right now.

Yes, "rattling off" is what I sometimes do when I am enthusiastic about something. But that is a topic for another day.

Who knew And Speaking Of would be about the infamous legend of Johnny Appleseed? Not me.

Blank

Woops, just stumbled across my blog and added a video. Then I went to start a blog thinking that in the past few days so many thoughts have come to mind that I should try to capture some. Well.. now my mind has gone blank.. nothing to say.

Here's one thought. I just got back from Spain. I have been practicing my Spanish. A surprise is that some words that I learned when I was in middle school or high school are not needed anymore. Words that relate to my life now are the ones I need. For example. I used to use hermana with fluidity. That was because I was talking about one of my three sisters. Now I need hija and hijo to talk about my children. I talked about amigos and amigas and mis padres when asked to write or speak about my family.  Now I need to chat about my husband, mi esposo. Life changes, needs change and I am glad that my trip inspired me to listen to and practice Spanish. After all, two of my hijas will be bilingual after their years in Spanish speaking countries. Hasta luego, Meg

Walking Down a Country Road Hike a Pup Pet Sitting.mp4

Lost my Blog...

It just took me over an hour to find my blog again.. so, speaking of frustrations with technology, passwords, searches.. I had recorded the title of my blog but wrote down that it was on "Blog This". Woops, it only showed up under "Blogger" which I had not written down. No matter what I typed in searches my blog would not show up. Guess there is no one out there who will find it if I can't even find it myself.

When I tried to log on the first time, Google "treated me" like a new blogger and did not find my blog to open for me despite the fact that I pasted its URL into the url location.  I had to exit out and go to my blog from my Google Home Page where I had just installed it by stumbling across it after an hour.

Growl, moan, stomp and yell... enough for now. At least I found it. I hope I find it right away when I am in a better mood  and can write odd ramblings about the world.

My son's 21st birthday...

Customize a digital slideshow

Brutal NH Weather

And speaking of... I was driving to pick up a dog for our hiking today and I had to stop a few times for school bus traffic, children crossing roads and parents lined up to drop their children at school.

My mind wandered to appreciation for the crossing guards and how little they are paid and acknowledged for their jobs in all types of weather, no matter what. They keep so many people safe and they have to stand in terribly cold weather here in NH to do their job. And, yesterday was a horrifying, brutal day. I struggled against the wind and cold to exercise the dogs. Frostbite threatened my hands and face. I thought of them and their diligence and commitment. I wondered how they had survived those hours in the frigid wind, sub zero temperatures. How many layers of clothes did they wear? How did they protect their exposed skin?

Maybe they should get "hardship or combat" pay for the worst weather. I know other professionals bundle up to deal with harsh conditions. But they are paid so much more than the crossing guards. It is a shame.

Kudos to all crossing guards. You are under appreciated. We need a day during the year to honor your service. Enough "boss" days and "teacher" days and whatever else days. Occasions are invented to fill the calendar. You all deserve a day too.

First Post

This is my first blog. I can't seem to get a template that I want in a color that I want... so here I am with "simple" as my choice.

And speaking of... The reason I named my blog this is that my mind is often popping from one subject to the next. So when I am talking (or even writing) I am thinking of many things that are related to the topic in my opinion, but not necessarily in others' opinions. My husband often answers, "But were we?". My mind flitting to a connected subject that makes sense to me throws him off and surprises him. More examples of that later. Those of you who have minds that race in ways that others don't understand may be already drifting off to a related topic in your life!

Well, stick with me. I have lots to share. Being a mother of three grown children and two dogs, I will explore a variety of topics, insights and thoughts. You will travel with me to many parts of the world and traipse with the dogs and me around New Hampshire and other states.

Hmm, I wonder what topic my next blog will hit upon... or will it encompass lots of things?