Common Ground Coffee House #116

Melanie, I love hearing about your life! I know it probably sounds silly, but for someone like me who has never been where you live, the little stuff like makes where you live sound very romantic and charming. It's also a treat to simply listen to the use of a word or phrase that is different from here.

North Carolina is one of the states I've not been to, but either is Maine and I made an agreement with my girls that we'll visit there one day and have lobster. :thumbs: There are a few places I really love for their beauty. Here are a few of them:

1. Montana: That's where Yellowstone National Park is and it was neat to watch the water spring up from the ground and imagine that perhaps, at the beginning of creation, springs and mists like this may have been how the earth was watered. Plus it's just cool to see huge buffalo wandering around and ponder how our country used to be, used to look before so much was messed up by so-called progress. http://www.nps.gov/yell/photosmultimedia/yellowstonelive.htm Despite its touristy like advertisements, it's so vast that you don't have to worry much about running into a ton of people, although it does concern me that some of the criminal element has seemed to take advantage of that over the years, so while I'd love to go back, I'd not do so without having others with me and being prepared for an emergency. While it's unlikely, it's still a possibility.

2. Another place would be different part of Ohio during the Autumn season. For a while, I lived in a small town with a large Amish population. While there was little to do if one is into doing a ton of stuff, it is simply pretty to drive down a country road with all the brilliant colored leaves all over the ground and see an Amish man driving his horse and plough through a field right around sunset or stop and buy the goodies from their harvests from stands set up on their front yards. There is also a place in Mansfield called The Kingwood Center, with an old mansion on the premises and great gardens where peacocks and other birds roam free. There were never guided tours when I was there, so hopefully that isn't something one "must" do because I enjoyed going during quiet hours and being pretty much alone with my girls. http://www.kingwoodcenter.org/cms/

3. Oregon, especially Ashland. In Ashland, they have the Shakespeare theater with plays going on quite often and a number of quaint little shops and bookstores. They also have Lithia park, with perfectly manicured gardens against the backdrop of a forest. There is a drinking fountain there with natural mineral water. It tastes horrid, but people have been known to actually pay for it and bathe/soak in it as it is rumored to have wonderful properties. Some do drink it, but I cannot handle the strong taste, let alone pay for it! There is a cinnamon bear (and others) that occasionally come out, so people are supposed to be careful in the mornings and not go off beyond the boundaries. There are speed boat excursions down the Rogue River for the more adventurous, and the ocean isn't too far of a trip to take from there.

So if you end up coming here on a trip and happen to be near any of those places, you'll know what to look for!

 

Why of course they do Barnabas.....they can talk to Americans and understand what they say and are understood in return, also the same applies in New Zealand, and Britain.

I think one of my sisters can speak conversational Spanish which is bizarre for Australia.....Spain having only a tiny migration there. The other sister speaks Financial Gobbledekook really well. My brother can limp along in German.....he is very amusing over his foot in mouth oopsies.

I can only claim to comprehend a little Latin.

 

Gina.....like you I find your life very exotic from where I live. I would dearly love to see places like Yellowstone but the superb documentaries are very very good, but I would love to see a wild squirrel!!! I have recently seen a wild rabbit here!!!

Maine and Vermont and I guess all the New England states sound very attractive. One of the new arrivals to our church is Madelaine who has come from St. Mary's in Kansas (I think, there are so many states!)

I adore bluegrass, folk music and the rythmns of the south....I have just discovered Tab Benoite and would love to visit Loiusana.

....and you live near an Amish centre, again I have a great deal of respect for folk who have tried hard to preserve their plain ways.

The cat has wind between her ears and has just brought in her latest plaything.....a fejoia for crying out loud. (fejoias are a green skinned fruit which is very aromatic and immensely popular here, I personally cannot imagine why!) The Domain which is a public space is echoing with the cries of youngsters playing hockey.

:wavey:

 

Hi there!! Got a bit of a shock checking in on the web....Arabic scripted adverts for crying out loud:laugh:

 

It is freezing cold here....just trotted up the road a bit and my ears were numb! Yes I know I am a wimplestiltskin but .....deary me.It is only the beginning of winter:tonofbricks:

 

One good thing about cold days....it makes baking so much more fun.

Made a bier kuchen (beer cake) from the family recipe book...mum's side being German. It was fun buying a single can of beer....the checkout guy thought I must have been very strange, but I don't drink the stuff. It makes a very nice huge light coloured cake. Good with coffee!

Peanut brittle for sweeties...easy peasy with a microwave.

I will sign off, go and listen to some music, eat vegemite toast and ado some cross-stitch for bedtime. I have my prayers of course.

Stay warm and dry Ann, checked out "sauerbratens", as I had not heard of this before. Do you have a preferred recipe as I would like to try it. I actually have just put together a pot of corned beef which seems to be a part of the style of sauerbratens....but not going onto the baked part...you can learn something new everyday, which is wonderful I think. Thank you Ann.

 

I'm not seeing dear Barnabas posting. Do I have to send out the search hounds, or are you lurking, my friend?

I must say that baking is something I really enjoy. It's rare for me to look in the drawer under the stove, as my regular cookware is kept in a cupboard where my short, arthritic self can reach things with ease, but I managed to pull out the cast iron skillet the other day to make cornbread and hope to make "spotted dog cake" soon! I remember the basics from when I was a tween, but haven't tried it since then!

Yesterday was my marriage anniversary, but we put off doing anything until I fully recover and am off medication.

My eldest child is taking driving lessons and having a bit of a tough time with turning corners properly. All three of my oldest could take lessons but at $300 a pop plus multiple other fees, we're starting with the oldest and working our way down...one per year. I thought kids got LESS expensive as they got older, but between driving lessons, school fees, music lessons, music camps, musical instruments and maintenance, proms, and other things, it's actually much more. Gone are the days when they thought the best thing that could happen was getting a quarter to buy a cheap piece of jewelry or a toy from one of those lobby machines! :laugh:

 

Sorry Gina, but I have several health issues. On March 28th I had an automobile accident. Our 2009 Kia Optima delux (in excellent condition) was totaled. I had 3 fractured/broken ribs, internal ijuries, and for 6 weeks I was truly "retired." Then came surgery on my right leg, and I am awaiting surgery on the left. These will improve my circulation, and relieve most of the pain I experience while sitting in a chair (without putting my feet up - which is very hard to do while sitting in front of the computer). I am also awaiting surgery on my left eye (cataract, and scraping the back of the eyeball of scar tissues, which are 400 times larger than supposed to be). They may also need to perform a cornia implant, if the two procedures mentioned will not correct my vision. These and other health issues are preventing me from looking into the BB more frequently. I miss the sweet fellowship, and discussions, but I just can't hold the "pen" in my hand as oft as I'd like to. Hope you understand. Covet your prayers though....

You know, it is funny, for last year Lenke was frequenting the doctors (17 days in the hospital, etc), this year is my turn. A friend of ours said, "You guys are a sure support of the medical industry!" :laugh: But praise the Lord, He gives us strength for each day to endure!!! :thumbsup:

 

Good to see you, Barnabas. Sorry to read of your difficulties, but happy to know you are over coming them.

Blessings to you and your dear wife.

Cheers,

Jim

 

Thank you Brother Jim. Sorry for venting.... but Lenke and I are grateful to the Lord for getting us through those deep valleys. He is always there with us. Blessings to you and your dear wife also! :wavey:

 

....I too will offer up prayers for you and your wife Barnabas.

Ta for the recipe Ann....your blog site is delightful.

It has been icy all day...the main highway up north has been closed due to snowfall and similar conditions in the South Island. A friend of mine is visiting from Dunedin (an outer suburb of the South Pole) and she thought how WARM it was here:laugh:.

The skiing season is now OPEN!

 

Thank you Ann & Melanie for your kind thoughts and prayers! You are both very sweet. Blessings to you and yours! :flower:

 

Barnabas, I *thought* I told you to knock off these health issues! :tongue3:
I'm very glad you're getting the health care you need. You seem very strong, so I have confidence that you'll be able to handle the rest of the medical procedures and your life will be made a little more comfortable because of it.

You definitely have my prayers.

If you are comfortable with it, I'd love to send you and Lenke a postcard in the mail on occasion if you'd like that. I always get postcards from the zoo and like to help support them by buying them, but I don't have anyone to send them to. Then you could put your feet up and still see the postcard without being online, right? :flower:

 

Goodness me there are some ignorant articles in this town!!!! It is almost 10 o'clock at night and some donkey is using a powered tool noisily.....how to win friends and influence people!!!!

 

My new neighbours are a bunch of young adults, one is a policeman. I have discovered that being a policeman does not necessarily equate with my expectations.....

LITTERBUG!!!....garbage flying about, empty beer bottles and the odd can, just yucky and never clearing their letterbox of junk mail!!!

Oh and the dog doodoo that is on the footpath....I suspect someone is doing this deliberately as it never happened prior to the tenants!!

These are the only 2 things I can whinge about, they are pretty good overall.