New Babies

Several months ago, Randy added an outside wall to our carport - probably I should say bikeport, but that sounds funny. We park our bikes under the carport, and he figured closing it in would help protect the bikes during bad weather, and it would also give us some more storage space, since he added shelves to the inside of that wall.
A few weeks later, he was changing out some parts on the bike, and left an empty box on the top of one of the shelves. Then one day, I was working in our living room and looked out the window onto the carport and noticed a bird was carrying twigs and leaves. As I watched, she went into the box, the box shook a bit, and then she popped back out. I kept watching over the next day or so, and she eventually finished the nest she was working on.
I've worried about the nest, because we have two cats who like to play in and around the bikes; one actually takes a nap on one of the shelves. At one point, we thought the nest had been abandoned, but when Randy picked the box up to throw it away, the bird came flying out of the box - I don't know who it startled more, Randy or the bird.
Then over the weekend, Randy picked up the box to see if it was still being used, and guess what he saw? Three little mouths open wide, waiting for lunch.
I'm still a bit nervous about the cats- they are champion hunters, and love to go after noisy little animals. But hopefully the mama bird is watching them, and the box itself is in a spot that would be hard for the cats to reach. I'm just going to trust that God will keep His hands on the babies until they can get out on their own.

What Will You be Doing on Memorial Day?

Our county has truly served her country well- we have many veterans living among us, from World War II, Korea, Viet Nam and all the way to current-day conflicts.
I read a statistic that our country, on average, is losing over one thousand World War II veterans every day, and that’s not counting vets from other wars. What are we doing to insure that the history within those men and women doesn’t die with them? And more importantly, what are we doing to make sure all veterans know we hold them in honor and respect?
Whether we agree with the wars they fought in or not, we owe these men and women a debt of gratitude we can never repay.
I’d like to challenge you to do two things. First, if you know of someone who is a veteran, spend time with them. Get to know them- at some point, they may want to share their experiences with you. Whether they do or not, make sure you tell them how much you appreciate the sacrifices they made for you and your family.
Second, remember that we have many veterans who are buried in cemeteries in our area- and many of those cemeteries depend on the family members for maintenance. I’ve seen some graves that have gone untended, either because the family has moved away or died, or because family members are no longer able to keep them clean. If each one of us adopted a grave and made an effort to keep it cleaned up, what a difference it would make! The simple act of placing a small flag on the grave would be another way to show honor to those who made the ultimate sacrifice.
Someone once said we live in the land of the free, because of the brave. Please remember to thank those brave men and women who answered the call of their country.

Playing catchup

Lots of things have been going on around here, so here's the 'cleanup'.
I went back to the doctor yesterday, fully expecting him to say I didn't have to go back- nope, not yet. He says everything looks good, incision is healing nicely; he said to stop using tape on the dressing since it's causing some irritation. Works for me- now I can shower and wash my hair without waiting for hubby to come home and help me change the dressing...I go back in two weeks - hopefully for the last time (not that I don't like Dr. Daley, but I'm ready to move on -LOL)
A very good friend of ours was involved in a bike wreck on Monday night- he was leaving a meeting and hit a deer. Not nearly as bad as it could have been- God had His hand on his shoulder. A few broken bones, some nasty road rash, scrapes and bruises, but he'll hopefully come home this weekend.
Another friend of ours is in the hospital with double pneumonia, so a friend and I went to visit him. We didn't realize how bad he'd been feeling until we saw him at the hospital this morning. He was joking with us, asking about our husbands and what they were doing. He looks so much better than just a day or two ago.
Our town's homecoming is finally here- we'll start things off on Saturday with an arts and crafts fair, then a singing lesson by Ms. Regina, then a bluegrass jam festival that night. Sunday will start with a community church service at the Primitive Baptist Church, dinner on the grounds and singing in the afternoon.
My folks' 50th anniversary is coming up and we're working towards getting everything done for the celebration. We're hoping lots of folks come and visit that afternoon.
Okay, back to your regularly scheduled blog. Thank you for your time.

What's News - A little bit of everything...

*My middle son, who is home from Europe, has been stationed at Bragg, so he's home for a short visit before he reports for duty. We drove into Bigtown today to let him get a car; he had in mind what he wanted, and happened to find almost exactly what he had in mind, and also seemed to get a pretty good deal on it. He's walking around with a grin on his face so big, I'm afraid the top of his head will fall off. Boys and their toys - nothing like it. Not that I can say anything- I'm pretty crazy about my toys too!

*I'm so glad it's Friday- the first week back at school is always tough- everyone has to readjust their schedules, get used to getting up early and to bed on time, and none of us seem to have gotten as much sleep as we needed.

*A situation that's been on my mind seems to be working out, so hopefully that stress area will go on the back burner for a while.

*My slogan for this year, Big Things are Coming, seems to be already fulfilling itself. I've picked up two new clients, with prospects of several more in the works.

*I'm still redesigning my site, with some good input from Nigel Portis, and it should be poppin' pretty soon.

*Besides reworking the publishing section, I'm adding galleries of my portrait work - I'm anxious to see how it looks online.

*I've come up with several new projects to work on, including a writer's group for some area folks who need the encouragement and help that I can give them. More on that later...

*I've been encouraged to write a column for a local paper regarding tips for writers. I'll be working on that in the next few days.

*My photo entry for the League of Municipalities statewide contest won 2nd place; I was contacted this week for permission to use it in a book to be published by the Alabama Department of History and Archives.

*This post has encouraged me to add a section on my site of news updates regarding my business. I'll add it as a newsfeed across the front page with links to the full story.

Moon in the Trees

Moon in the Trees
Originally uploaded by bethmrogers

I don't know why I'm so enthralled by the moon, but I will chase images of her for more time than my husband likes to think about.
I was walking Cookie the shih tzu last night before bedtime, and I looked up and saw the moon among the limbs of this pecan tree. The clouds were slipping over it, like the tide over shells in the sand. I spent about 40 minutes trying to get just a few images of the moon while she appeared from the clouds.
As I said in an earlier post about the sunsets I see most days, I have such beauty in my own yard. My sister-in-law, Linda, feels the same way- she's got a beautiful place in the county, and I'm sure she could spend hours just walking around her own yard, seeing beauty in hidden places within a stone's throw of her backdoor.
I found a lovely picture of the moon during a lunar eclipse and it's pushed me even harder to get good images of the moon and the night sky.; Phil Hart is extremely talented and I want to learn from his lovely work.

Lucky Me...

Water Tower #2
Originally uploaded by bethmrogers

I'm one of the most fortunate people I know. I live in a beautiful area of southern Alabama, and within a ten mile radius of my house, I have wonderful country to photograph. And this beautiful view is what I can see every afternoon, just by standing in the middle of my front yard.
I got this shot just last week; I was walking by a window while getting some work done, and happened to look out- and there it was.
The only thing that could make things better, would be to have a beautiful lake in my front yard. While that's not going to be possible, one of my dreams/goals for this year is to put in a small goldfish pond in front of my house, and turning it into an outdoor living room- I've got all kinds of beautiful plants that can be moved around it, including confederate roses, grapevine, hydrangeas, wisteria and all kinds of day lilies.
It will take some planning to get all this done, because I want to make sure we don't mess with any water lines, but I know it can be done.
If you've got dreams, write them down- and turn them into plans, by writing down all the details that will have to be done to make it a reality. The more real a dream is to you, the more likely it will become a plan.

A Homecoming Event

The Alabama Department of Tourism is sponsoring The Year of Small Towns and Downtowns in 2010. Each town that participates receives a free historic marker; Rutledge will be participating and we'll center the Homecoming Weekend around the Primitive Baptist Church in Rutledge. It's one of the oldest churches in Crenshaw County, and since Rutledge was once the county seat, the church is even more central to the county.
We've already set dates, and we also decided to have a homecoming weekend in 2009 as well - you might say it will be our practice run.
We've come up with several ideas on how to celebrate our town and it's roots - we'll be making videos of town members telling how it was to grow up in and around Rutledge; an art show is also being planned; we'll have activities for the kids on Saturday; and Sunday we'll wind up the weekend with a community church service in the morning, dinner on the grounds and an afternoon singing with local groups.
I've also come up with an idea to have a poster and postcard design competition among the residents of Rutledge. The winning posters will be used to publicize the weekend, and the winning postcards will be reproduced and sold during the weekend. Each winning designer will get a copy of all the winning designs. It will encourage the local folks to get involved, and any money raised will go towards maintaining the church building.
Check back for more details on how the plans are developing...

Thanksgiving thoughts

Well, Thanksgiving has passed for another year. We had all the fixings at MIL's house, and got to see family members we haven't seen in a while; then off to my mom's house, where we had sandwiches, finger foods and a veggie tray, which was a very nice change. It's hard to eat two big meals in a day, especially when you're not used to it.
It was good to see everyone, but we missed a lot of loved ones... hubby's daughter couldn't come because her husband was on call and couldn't leave the base. She's missed seeing him the last two Thanksgivings, so we certainly understood why she wanted to stay home with him. She's a good daughter, mom and wife and we're proud of her. My daughter's family spent the day with her honey's family, so we missed seeing them too, but we understand - it's hard to get everywhere, when there's such an extended family to see.
Hubby's son and his wife came, but their kids were all visiting other relatives, and my older son is back overseas, so we missed about half of our family. It's tough having a blended family, and even more tough during the holidays.
But we have lots to be thankful for - our grandchildren are healthy and happy, they have good parents and good homes, they're intelligent and they're being raised by responsible people.
My husband's mother and both my parents are still living, and they're all in reasonably good health;while they may have problems from time to time, they have a good quality of life, and we all live near enough to see them often.
Hubby and I both enjoy life and have lots of interests to keep up going - besides our immediate family, our church family always has things going on, and of course our riding friends are ALWAYS up to something!
Last but not least, we're thankful that we live in a country where we've got to right to speak our minds, and to believe as we wish, whether it suits someone else or not.
What are YOU thankful for?

Happiness reigns, even in sadness

Our youngest grandson Reid's birthday is next week, and we'll celebrate his party this Saturday. He likes John Deere stuff, because his daddy feeds cows and drives a tractor (what better reason?); he'll be two.
We're also expecting another grandson next week, on Reid's birthday as well. This will be #9 for us: four boys and five girls. We're so blessed to have so many wonderful grandkids - they're all beautiful intelligent children (and I am NOT prejudiced a bit). Each one is a joy to be around, and I couldn't be more proud of them.
The happiness they give us helps out in tough times, too. We're facing the possible loss of two friends - while I'm trying to be positive and remember that God is in control, I'm human. I know each of us will die at some point, but when it's a friend or family member, it's hard to face.
I'm sad, because when we lose them, I'll miss them. I'm happy, because I know they'll be in heaven and I'll see them again one day. I know once they get to heaven, there won't be any more illness for them.
A word for you- if you've got loved ones, tell them how you feel. It may be your last chance... if you've got children or grandchildren, give them an extra hug and some sugar (that's what my grandma used to call a kiss, just in case you're not from around here). It will sweeten you up.
If you're not sure about heaven and whether you're going, please take the time to find out. I'd hate for you to miss such a good thing. If you don't have someone you can ask, you're welcome to contact me. I'd love to share the good news I have with you...

Thoughts on the Weekend

It's been a long weekend... our town's mayor collapsed at work earlier in the week, and they found a plum-sized tumor near his speech center. Husband and I drove up to see him and his wife on Friday morning- things look pretty bleak, but we are all praying; and I believe that God is able to heal JD and bring him back home to finish the work he's started. Until that time, the rest of us are going to work as hard as we can, keep praying, and try to make sure that our little town is in the same good shape when he comes home as when he left.
Then Friday night our band/football team had to travel over three hours to the game (on the Mississippi state line). Whose idea is it to set these things up, and do they not care that gas is now $4 a gallon? Sure, we could have stayed home, but I want to be there for my child at every chance I get. We finally made it home and got into bed around 1 AM.
Up at 6 to get to the park for our bike group's poker run (this one benefits families in distress in our area). We had a very good turnout and raised about $600, which was VERY good- this was our first try at a poker run like this. We finished everything up around 2 and headed out.
After we left the park, we ran into some other friends of ours, who invited us to a wedding (yes, here in the south, that kind of thing happens). On the way there, we had a nice shower, so we sat in wet jeans during the ceremony (that's part of riding too). It was a sweet ceremony, and made me realize how fortunate I am that my husband and I have made a life together.
We finally made it home around 4 or so, got showered and cleaned up, and settled in for the night. I have learned/remembered some lessons that I'd like to share:

• everybody has problems - if you can get past your own 'stuff' and make others feel welcome, or cared for, you're doing good.
• some people are just naturally negative about everything- take it in stride when you can, but sometimes you just can't handle negative statements- when that happens, step away and regroup. Don't let a negative person make you doubt who you are, or what you are capable of doing.
• you can do a lot more than you think you can.
• for those of you who are Christians - God is in control, and His hands hold the future. Don't give up until the end.

Psalm 121
I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help. My help [cometh] from the LORD, which made heaven and earth. He will not suffer thy foot to be moved: he that keepeth thee will not slumber. Behold, he that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep. The LORD [is] thy keeper: the LORD [is] thy shade upon thy right hand. The sun shall not smite thee by day, nor the moon by night. The LORD shall preserve thee from all evil: he shall preserve thy soul. The LORD shall preserve thy going out and thy coming in from this time forth, and even for evermore.

Why are some people so heartless?

I let my basset baby out this morning to 'take care of his business', and I saw a scrawny, dirty face peek at me from around my back corner. Caleb, who loves everybody and everything, barked and called the little dog around to us. She came around the house, looking as if she was expecting to be beaten, and sat at my feet.
I couldn't help it- I had to give her a good rub and 'make big' over her. She didn't look like she'd eaten in about two weeks, and her white coat is so thin that her skin is sunburned. You can see her ribs and her spine, and her behind looks raw.
I fed her and put out some cool water, and right now she's lying at the foot of my back steps, waiting for me to come back outside and pet her some more. Her belly is full, and there is plenty more food where that came from; for now she's content just to rest and (hopefully) put some meat on her bones. Every time I go out the backdoor, she 'grins' and whines at me, and she'll walk right beside me as I go around the yard.
I hope that she's just gotten lost and hasn't had the opportunity to eat, because otherwise, it means someone has intentionally starved and mistreated her. Our two cats have walked right up and sniffed her, and she hasn't so much as lifted an eyebrow at them. She just lays there and lets them sniff.
I've listed her in Craigslist, and at the local vet's office, in case her owners are looking for her - we had some folks come through after Gustav hit the coast. If not, I guess we've got a new dog... I've always said there's a sign in our yard that only dogs and cats can see - it says "free food -see lady at the door".
I think we'll call her 'Lucky'.

Rutledge Loop

Early Morning Lake
Originally uploaded by bethmrogers

If you ever wonder why I call my blog (and my website) Around the Loop, here's the reason - I live near the Rutledge Loop, in Crenshaw County. It has got some of the most beautiful scenery you can imagine. Pastures with cows and horses, old homesteads and barns, beautiful flowers (including a lovely garden of cannas at my friend Charlotte's house), and a great woody swamp complete with a wooden bridge. I get the urge to drive through and just ride with my window down, looking and listening. This morning I took a short trip through and found some butterflies and wildflowers (see my flickr page for more).
This area is such a pretty place, and I'm so thankful I live here.

Take a Chance

If you’re like me, you pass through towns all the time, headed somewhere else. They’ve got some interesting place, store or park, but you tell yourself, ‘I’ll stop next time.’ And of course, the next time, you don’t stop either, because you’re headed somewhere else, and you just don’t want to take the time.

Well, Florala is one of those places to me. Our oldest son and his family live in Crestview, and we usually either go through Florala going down or coming back. Every time we pass through, I’ll tell HB (Honey Bunny, aka my dear husband) “One of these days, I’m going to stop and look around, especially that wetland area on the lake.”

I finally took the step – I had to bring two of our granddaughters back to their mom, so we decided to meet in Florala at the Wetlands Park, which is about half-way. As we started down we noticed two bikers coming up behind us, so L’il Red (youngest daughter, who just got her permit – Yay!) got out the camera and took a few pictures of them- they noticed and of course, had to speed up to check out who was holding the camera…

After we got the girls swapped over, L’il Red and I headed over the walkway. It’s a very simple wooden walkway, with handrails, running through the wetlands area. The walkway itself is anywhere from one to two feet above the ground, so the plants and water run under it and aren’t damaged by people passing through. Although some folks have dropped trash, for the most part, it’s a lovely spot.

The walkway runs close to the water’s edge, and is under shade for its entire length. Some trees have moss, and there is also lots of other plant life. I didn’t see any animals, but I’m sure there must be some there. Four or five gazebos are spread through the walkway, so you can stop and take a break, if you like.

I did get to take a few shots, but my camera batteries are getting old, so they ran down before I was ready to quit. The next time I go back, I’ll be more prepared.

The town also boasts a lot of interesting shops, too. I’ve seen Elvis standing in front of one building, just waiting for someone to come up and take his picture. The store he represents is supposed to have all kinds of goodies inside – I’ve heard their ads, and I’d like to browse for a while – not enough time this trip – again, maybe next time.

We did eat at a little café called Corbey’s Ice Cream and Deli- it used to be a drugstore, and the sign is still hung on the back wall. They’ve got old-fashioned metal stools and high tables; the food is great. They had some wonderful homemade potato salad, and the ice cream is great too! I asked if they were ‘biker friendly’ and the lady told me that she and her husband ride when they can – she said if the bikers behaved, so would she!

There’s also a bike shop in town called Biker’s Choice- the sidewalk in that part of town is actually higher than the street level, and they’ve got bikes parked right outside the shop, on the sidewalk. Makes an eye-catching display- you really don’t think about the sidewalk being up that high, and your first thought is ‘how did they get that bike up there?’

So, I took a step and stopped in Florala – now I know what I want to see the next time I’m down there…

Before the lawnmower

Before the lawnmower
Originally uploaded by bethmrogers

I know, I know - I'm crazy for even taking pictures like this. And DH agrees- imagine a grown woman laying in the grass, shooting a picture of weeds!
LOL- that's OK- I see beauty in all things, even weeds. God did such a good job creating all things, even weeds... of course, there are some things I don't quite see the reasoning behind, but that's OK - God knows why He does all things, and I'm going to praise Him for it. Even weeds that make a crazy lady happy.

Here we go...

It's Friday- tonight is the big game - Tigers vs. Bulldogs. I've still got to get my red shirt ready (we're going to 'red out' the Dog House tonight). Not sure if we'll take the bikes to Brantley or not. Probably be easier to find places to park up close, but I'm also not sure that someone won't mess with them. (I don't worry so much about the car, which really doesn't make sense). We'll probably end up taking the car, anyway. much less a chance of getting run over by someone not paying attention in all the traffic.
We've got the boiled peanuts ready - the World's Largest Peanut Boil is this weekend, so we got some yesterday. Lots of things still to do to get ready, and I've still got some work to do on Dimple's website.
Once again - Go Tigers!!!!

My Main Ride...

Our part of Alabama has been under some pretty dry conditions for most of this year, and we were behind on rain last year too, so I'm always thankful for rain. Hurricane Faye really poured it on us late last week, and the ground is still damp; meanwhile, we're expecting Gustav to visit us early next week.
All this to say that between the weather and tasks around here (plus some minor health problems), I haven't been able to ride my bike as much as I'd like for about a week now. That's not to say that I don't ride in the rain - I love the smell of wet asphalt rolling under my wheels. I just had no desire to scrape myself and my bike across the road during some of the rain we had last week. My husband drove home behind a guy on a bike one afternoon, and even though he was riding on a straightaway, his bike was leaning like he was in a long curve.
I hope that changes in the next few days and weeks - Colors for the Cross is this weekend, and we plan on going over early Saturday morning and spending the day.
Then September 13 is our group's fall benefit ride. We'll tour Crenshaw County on a poker run, with registration at the park. For more information on that ride, see our site. The ride will benefit a 'families in crisis' fund that will help families in and around Crenshaw County who need assistance.
Then in November we'll head out for a weekend trip to somewhere in Alabama. Right now we're talking about Ave Maria Grotto, but nothing is set in stone yet. That's one thing about riding- most of the time, it's about the ride itself, instead of the destination. To see some pictures from last year's ride, see this page.
Of course, I won't wait til those organized rides to get some miles in- sometimes I just have to ride around town to get my mind back in gear.
Meanwhile, I need to go out and crank my bike- she's been pouting the last few days, and she needs to know that I haven't forgotten her. For those of you who don't ride, a bike is different than any other vehicle - most bikes have a name, and most are considered either male or female.
My SUV is just a truck, as far as I'm concerned, but my bike? well, she's my bike- she is mine, and I am hers. Vroom! Vroom!!!!

Go Tigers!!!!

Well, it's almost here. School started a couple weeks ago, and our first football game is this Friday night. Our biggest rivals, cross-county Brantley Bulldogs will host the game this week. Luverne has not been able to win in the last 5 years, but I'm hoping and praying we can take a winning team to the doghouse this Friday night, and show them the HAND!!!
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One another note, I'm working towards getting my new website up and ready to go. I've decided, after much thought, to change the basic setup of my business. When I started out 6 years ago, I was geared towards building websites for smaller businesses and churches. At first, I didn't think I even wanted to get involved in the graphics side of the business, but that side has grown more and more, moving into logo and banner ads.
My interest in photography as also grown, and I'm developing a portrait line.
I've also branched out into print design, creating print ads, wedding invitations, book layout, business cards, letterhead and flyer design. I'm also encouraging my younger daughter, Little Red, to join me in designing custom handmade notecards and art pieces. I'm waiting anxiously to see if she'll agree.
I may have more news later today.