Random Thoughts of a Great-Granny Grandma

7/7/21

PHOTO HODGEPODGE -- PART 2 : FLOWERS

Random photos from my phone.

Doesn't this flower look like a pinwheel?

7/6/21

PHOTO HODGEPODGE -- PART 1: THIS AND THAT

Random photos I had planned to blog about but never got around to, like this colorful mascot at a high school I visited several years ago, and the sign on a car window that caught my eye.

The little weatherbeaten squirrel in my daughter's front yard that brings back sweet memories of the friend who gave it to her over a quarter of a century ago.

Cute sighting in my parking lot.

A locust borer beetle outside my window.

My great-granddoggie, Riley.

Ravens on the tree across across from my window, that has since been cut down.

7/3/21

NO MORE EXCUSES

A couple of months ago I started writing a post for the Five Minute Friday group I belong to. The prompt that week was EXCUSES. I never finished writing it though because I was in a deep, dark funk. A funk I would probably still be in, except that my daughter had a birthday coming up, and I wanted to give her a gift from her dog--my beloved granddoggie, Benji. Not just any gift, but a children's picture book written about him.

Since Benji is getting on in years and his health is fast deteriorating, it was especially important to me that I get it done before the time came for him to cross the Rainbow Bridge.

It's amazing what you can accomplish when you set your mind to it and ask the Lord to be your guide.

The last children's picture book I started writing has been in the works for four years, and I'm still procrastinating and making excuses for why it's not finished yet. This one, on the other hand, was written and published in a little over two weeks.

The Old Gray Dog, is Benji's heartwarming story. The story of a scared little stray found wandering the streets, who was taken to an animal shelter and subsequently adopted into a loving family. It was written by his grandma, who in his own words, "...wrote this book for me because dogs can't write, but I told her what to say."

I am thankful for the nudge that aroused me from my state of hibernation and got me writing again. Hopefully, going forward, I will keep on keeping on. Meanwhile, I want to also express my gratitude to those of you who have not given up on me, and who still check my blog from time to time.

5/28/21

WHEN DOUBT CREEPS IN

To trust means to walk by faith not by sight, to follow directions regardless of whether they seem to make sense or not, but how easy it is to be swayed by our intellect or our senses.

Several years ago this truth was driven home when I allowed my mind to convince me that my source must have made a mistake. Instead of following the GPS' instructions, I did what I thought was right, and as a result, a trip that should only have taken about 15 minutes got stretched to an hour (documented here if you are interested).

That was a lesson that stuck with me.

The other day, on my way to an appointment, I took a wrong turn and was thrown off course. Not wanting to waste time by trying to backtrack, I consulted MapQuest. However, as we approached my destination, and it told me to turn right, everything within me screamed no, no, no, it's on the left. Fortunately, I did not listen to that inner voice.

5/15/21

MIDDLE

This post was written for Five Minute Friday.

Word prompt--MIDDLE

Five minutes to free write about it.

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Today I ate a really good mango and thought of my mother.

We lived in a country where mangoes were plentiful. The big ones were our favorites, and we would share them. Since I didn't like getting my hands messy, we had a little ritual. My mother would cut off the sides and give them to me, and then peel the skin off the pit and take the middle of the mango for herself.

While I used a spoon to scoop the flesh out of my skins, she used her hands to hold the pit as she proceeded, with great gusto, to eat every bit of fruit attached to it, savoring each bite, and proclaiming that the middle of the fruit was the most flavorful part. Sticky hands did not bother her one bit. Nor did the juice that dribbled down her chin.

Now I eat a whole mango by myself, and think of my mother, and feel sad.

4/24/21

BREAKFAST AT FRANKLIN PARK

The forecast had called for rain, but they were wrong. We woke up to a sky as blue as blue can be. Not a cloud in sight. Couldn't have asked for a more perfect day to have breakfast in the park with my friend, Wunmi (aka "Granddaughter"). Her treat.

We spent a very relaxing hour catching up and enjoying the beauty all around us. Hopefully it refreshed and energized her as much as it did me.

We had a great view of the pond, and I soon regretted not having my camera with me when two loudly honking Canada Geese made a beeline towards it. I did manage to capture them with my cell phone as they landed, but they're barely visible. Can you spot them? They're just past that big ripple in the water.

Although my cell phone takes good pictures, it falls short when you need to zoom in on something like the geese above, or the kids playing ball on the field adjacent to the pond in this shot. You have to look real close at the sandy looking area between the edge of the grass and the building at the back to see them.