Happy Mother's Day! Photo taken in Ricketts Glen State Park
This morning on my way home from work I was listening to the radio as I often do. An add came on from a local jeweler trying to lure ladies to come into their shop and buy some sort of jewelry. And, as I often do, I shook my head in disbelief that people place so much "value" on sparkly things.
Now, I realize I'm not your typicall female. Maybe that's because I was raised with 3 brothers and did my share of the chores, but I honestly don't understand the desire to be bejeweled. I mean, what's the point? My husband knows I'd probably near-murder him if he were to buy me some outlandish big diamond for Mother's Day (or any other day for that matter) instead of getting me something really cool and useful such as the past gifts I've requested: weed whacker, wheel barrow, spade, reel lawn mower, etc. Now those are gifts I really appreciate!
I'll take a potted plant or a packet of seeds, or any one of hundreds of books I'd like, over diamonds any day. I'd be happy with some Mille Fleur chickens, too!
And ya know what? It's true, some of the best things in life are free. My favorite clothes...and this is no lie...I've found lying in the road! My absolute favorite shirt on the planet is a thermal (waffle knit) long-sleeve Old Navy shirt in confederate blue that I found in the ditch while taking a walk several years ago. Yeah, I brought it home and ran it through the wash several times with a bit of bleach to disinfect it. It fits perfectly and is incredibly comfy. I found another t-shirt many years ago, in the road, and I wore that until it became obscene and I had to toss it in the rag bag. I found a Nautica Competition t-shirt in our intersection a while back, too big for me, but Hubby Dean wears it all the time (I'm not sure if he knows I found it in the road...)
My favorite pair of pants for many, many years, was a pair of army pants that the previous owner had been left behind in our first house when we bought it 28 years ago. I'd kill to be able to find a pair of pants just like those, today. And in a rental house I found a left-behind sundress which I wear a lot, and a long-sleeve sweat shirt type thing that I've worn to work on chilly days for at least 20 years...this thing is made of iron! At the same house, I found my favorite frying pan in the "dump" out back of the house. I cleaned it up and voila! I use it constantly, and have for, again, 20 or more years. Bags of clothes that were given to us for the boys when they were growing up contained many pairs of jeans that I've taken over and don't ever want to part with.
I love finding things that are useful. "If it's free, it's for me" is my motto! Proud? Not me!
My Mother's Day this year was outstanding, as they usually are. Hubby Dean got my new Peep House made. I bought a new porch swing that was on sale (which will hang in my Secret Garden between two big oak trees). We went out for dinner Friday night at our favorite place, the Selinsgrove Brewing Company in Selinsgrove, PA. On Saturday we drove to Rickett's Glen, one of our favorite state
Hubby Dean and youngest son, Tyler, hiking in Ricketts Glen State Park
Another series of waterfalls in Ricketts Glen State Park
Simply enjoying nature (free!) is a perfect gift for me--these fiddleheads were photographed in Ricketts Glen State Park on Saturday
And on the subject of free, I'll be walking down the road soon to see if I can dig up a start from a dark purple lilac that I see growing in our neighbor's yard. Then perhaps a bit of morel mushroom hunting on another neighbor's property (I've already got their permission, of course). Sweet.
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