Thoughts From Rosebud Lane

After the events that started out our week we need a break from the news reports, the tears, the horror. The Hodgepodge will get us all...at least for a little while, away from those things.

1.  Have you ever spent time on a farm? Tell us a little bit about it. Have you ever grown your own pumpkin? Been on a hayride? Driven a tractor? Milked a cow?

The summer  I was 10 we went to Washington state to visit my uncle. He had a dairy farm. Yes, while there I did milk a cow just so I could say I had. The milking was done by machine. I remember seeing the HUGE stainless steel vats that held the milk until the milkman came. This should have been a good memory for a 10 year old, and most of it is, but some parts a truly scary. I saw my first skunk.  Being a city kid I started to chase it. One of the farm hands snatched me up before any damage could be done. My brother and I were told many times not to play in the hay barn. MANY. But, who could resist? Not us. We climbed up into the loft, saw a long rope hanging from a nail. We decided it would be great fun to swing on the rope to the other side of the loft. A space of about 30 feet. My brother who was 6 at the time went first. He swung over as if he were Tarzan. He swung back to me.  My Turn! I swung. And I stopped. In the middle. Hanging in the middle of this 30 foot span. Probably 75 feet off the ground. There I stayed. Brother cried, I cried. I finally, after what seemed like hours, moved my body which moved the rope. Eventually I was able to get enough momentum so my brother could grab the end and pull me to safety. And another reason I am afraid of heights was born. On the way out of the barn I told my brother we could not tell anyone, because we weren't supposed to be in there. What was the first thing he did when we got to the house? Squealed just like a brother would! "Mom, guess what Trudy did?" We did go see to the ocean for a couple of days. Went salmon fishing in the Columbia River. I experienced my first camping adventure.
I did grow a pumpkin once. Sort of. It was very small. It was not of the tiny variety just a very small pumpkin.
When we first moved to the country we tried to get our son into 4H. I say tried, because will it didn't work out. Long sad, horrible story, with a victorious ending. Anyway, yes we went on a hayride that fall with members of the 4H group.
I  don't think I have actually ever driven a tractor. However, I have ridden with the driver.

2. What's something younger you would like about you now? 

For the most part I have to say I am the same person I was when I was younger. I don't think my beliefs have changed any. Fight for the underdog, fight for what is right, and true, and just, fight for children, fight for the freedom of people. Those are things I still do. One thing I would like about myself from younger days was my weight. I was a tiny little thing. I didn't have to worry about what I ate. I never gained. This is until I started to gain. Now I can't get it off.

3. What are three things you'd like to do more often? Three things you'd like to do less often?

1. I would like to go to the city more often. I like living in the country, but I miss the city. I miss my friends, I miss the convenience, the noise, the beauty of Minneapolis, all of it. 2. I would like to go fishing more often. I haven't been fishing since about 1997. 3. I would like to go to church more often. I haven't been able to find a church here that I am comfortable in. 

Less often? 1. Dishes 2. Laundry 3. Deciding what's for dinner

4. What's on your nachos?

The basics. Burger, jalapeno peppers, lots of cheese, onions, tomatoes,  guac, sour cream, and salsa.

5. What's the most random thing in your purse or wallet? Does it need to stay there?

HMMMM. I have a small tape measure, because you never know when you will need to measure something. In my make-up bag I have my eyebrow tweezers, because I can't find it anywhere else. In the bag I also have the tool I use when making rugs. I lose it if it isn't in my purse.  I purposely have a VERY large purse. It is tote bag overnight size. This is so I can carry my camera everywhere I go. Because, well you know, just in case a photo op comes along, Are those random even though they each have a reason for being in the purse?
6.  Insert your own random thought here.

I know that after the horrifying event in Las Vegas many people will wonder when it will end.  I know that evil does not win. God does. God, and all his goodness and all his love. Many people will wonder where God was on that evening. He was there, but he wasn't doing the shooting. A man overcome, overpowered by Satan was. God was there to bring the victims home to Him. I am sure He cried throughout the entire time. We can not barricade ourselves in our homes. We can not live in fear. We must continue on knowing that nothing will happen to us until God calls us home. If we forget that and do become fearful Satan and his minions win. 

And just because we need some beauty...

My driveway. I think it is beautiful. It 450 feet from the road.

God shines His grace on Thee.