MAKE A WISH... AND BLOW!

Remember these? 
 
While doing some yard work recently, I noticed this lone standing dandelion and it actually stopped me in my tracks.  I stood there and looked down at it and wondered... just where did you really come from?

When I was a kid, these fuzzy white dandelions were a resource for many of my childhood wishes. Besides blowing out my birthday candles, I could blow on a dandelion and know, as the hundreds of tiny white parachutes floated away across the yard, my wishes would come true. It was just a matter of time.  Little did I know I was contributing to the migration and inundation of... weeds!!

If anyone has tried to rid their yard of dandelions, I'm sure you'll agree that it's more fun to think of these pesky plants as wish makers.  I looked down at this little guy, trying to decide if I was going to do it or not.  I know I'm grown, but some things you just don't outgrow.  I looked around to see where Harley was.  He must've taken a wheel barrel load out to the street, because he wasn't anywhere around.  I looked down at it again... and pondered.  With a quick movement of determination, I swooped down,  plucked that bad boy up, closed my eyes and blew...

The wishes of my childhood differ greatly from the wishes I wished for that day.  Gone are the pleas for new puppies and cute kittens, a Ken for my Barbie, or even a school year full of snow days.

My wishes today would be of sunny skies and warm temperatures, no traffic and good restaurants.

Bridges over rivers...


Long and winding roads...


... and my soul mate to share it with.
 
It's funny how we change.  What about you? 

What do you wish for?  phfooooooooooooooo...

Have a great week everybody!

Lady R

LOVE ME SOME HERMAN!

Summer brings sun... and that leads to suntans.  Help s-p-r-e-a-d the love and do someone's back for them. It's such a nice gesture... don't ya think?

Have a great weekend and... use that sunscreen!

Ride on...
Lady R

THUNDER AND RAIN AND... THE HALLMARK CHANNEL

I went to Panama City Beach  for Thunder Rain... I mean the Thunder Beach Spring Bike Rally last weekend, and in spite of the weather conditions (cold and rainy), I had a really great time.  But, any time spent with good friends is usually a great time to me.  Besides, it's not like it rained the whole weekend... just 50 % of it (rolling her eyes and laughing... laughing like a hyena... laughing at her own sense of demented humor) .

It wasn't all that bad. Harley went down the day before, but I had to work, so I took off about 9:00 Friday morning to join up with him and our friends. I had a really nice ride down, complimented by the continuous aroma of honeysuckle (my favorite Spring fragrance) and didn't get into any rain until I got near the beach.  Apparently, it had been raining there since Thursday and it didn't look like it was going to stop any time soon.  Everything and everyone, from the Sand Piper to Patches was hunkered down and fighting boredom while they waited out the weather.

The house we stayed at had a nice big covered porch, so we could all be outside without getting wet. That kept the cabin fever down to a minimum, but even in spite of our laughter and story telling, it was still a bummer to be sitting... and not riding.

Lady R... holding her front porch position.

Eventually my group, as big and scary as they are, (picture Phil and Si Robertson... with beers) turned to the Hallmark Channel.  Yep.  You read that right folks... Hallmark. I kind of wondered about this because earlier in the day, we had watched "Case #39" with Renee Zelleweger, and if any of you have seen that movie, you know it's a big flip from the kinds of movies you'll find on... the Hallmark Channel.

They tried to blame it on me and said they were just being nice.  Hmmmmm... that was their story and they were sticking to it!  They just figured I'd want to watch a chick flick, so... we just turned it into a contest to see who would let the others see them cry first. We pinky swore that the results would go with us to our graves (wink).

Saturday afternoon, around 1:00 the sun finally broke through and started drying up the beach.  One motor turned into two... then five.  Before you knew it, the streets came to life with the sounds of motorcycles of all kinds.Yeah! Thunder Beach!

It only took a couple hours to figure out everybody else was just as happy to get out and about, because every street that went anywhere near the rally venues, became slow moving parking lots. Good grief!  It was insane! Luckily, my local pals knew how to navigate us around some of the madness, but it was still such a cluster f#*%, if you know what I mean.

In spite of it all, we had a safe and fun weekend and got to see several of our friends.  Our ride home Sunday was a pretty one, so I guess you can say it makes up for some of the sittin'.  And even though Panama City and Panama City Beach is like a second home for us, it's always good to pull into the garage and realize you are blessed...  Home sweet home.

Being extra tired after weekend like this, Harley and I settled in our chairs and figured a nap was just around the corner.  He picked up the remote and asked what I wanted to watch.  I thought for a minute and a slow smile of remembrance appeared on my lips as I asked... What's on the Hallmark Channel?

Have a great week everybody!

Lady R

GETTIN' READY FOR A REDNECK SUMMER

Summer is right around the corner and it's time to get your outdoor cooking gear in order.  I love eating food that's been cooked outside.

Ya know...?

There's nothin' better on a hot summer day, than an ice cold beer and a tasty steak, hot off the grill. 

REDNECK COOLER


REDNECK HIBACHI


REDNECK GRILL

Okay then!  Let's eat!

Have a great weekend everybody!

Lady R

MON-DAY-DREAM

I'm sorry I didn't post my Friday Funny... nor did I get a decent post prepared for this morning either. I've had a very busy weekend.  Rewarding... but busy.

I know some of you are still waiting for the weather to cooperate in your area and well... I just thought I'd share one of my favorite pics to help you with your Monday daydreams.

After all... isn't that what Mondays are for?

The perfect road... long and empty.

 I know... I'd rather be there right now, too.  I hope you didn't slobber on your monitor too badly.  Just get a paper towel and it will be alright.

Have a nice week everybody!

Lady R

LIKE SPILLED PAINT

I'm really enjoying our Spring riding these days. Every corner you turn, or hill you top, delivers another delightful view of our Southern landscape.  Not to mention the great weather!

Fields of color open up before you like spilled paint on a canvas.  My eyes are constantly shifting from the road to the fields, trying to take it all in. 

 
Borders of yellow and red line the roadways with clover and other wild flowers. 

All in all... I'd say we had a very colorful ride!  Hope you did too!

Have a great week everybody!

Lady R

THE BADGE

A DEA Agent stopped at a ranch in Texas and talked to an old rancher. He told the rancher, "I need to inspect your ranch for illegally grown drugs."

The rancher said, "Okay, but don't go into that field over there," as he pointed out the location.

The DEA Agent verbally exploded and said, "Look mister... I have the authority of the federal government with me!"  Reaching into his rear back pocket, the arrogant officer removed his badge and proudly displayed it to the rancher.

"See this badge?! This badge means I can go wherever I want... on any land! No questions asked, no answers given! Do you understand old man?!"

The rancher kindly nodded, apologized, and went about his chores. Moments later the rancher heard loud screams.  He looked up and saw the DEA agent running for his life, being chased by the rancher's big Santa Gertrudis Bull. With every step the bull was gaining ground on the officer, and it was likely that he'd sure enough get gored before he reached safety. The officer was clearly terrified.

The old rancher threw down his tools, ran as fast as he could to the fence and yelled at the top of his lungs......

"YOUR BADGE! SHOW HIM YOUR BADGE!"

  

Have a great weekend everybody!

Lady R

COMPETITION - COOL PLACES TO PARK A MOTORCYCLE

I realize that I'm a little late on joining this competition, but the deadline isn't until Monday... so here goes.

Gary over at Flies in your teeth started this and has asked fellow riders to post a picture of their motorcycle parked in a really cool place. While looking through my stash to see which pic I would use, I decided I liked this one with the Ol' Girl.

The Ol' Girl in front of Teasley's Mill on Hwy 231, Montgomery County

This was during the Fall, a couple years ago. Auburn was playing a game that day as I was flying my fan flag.

I'm really enjoy the "Boy" now, but I'd be lying if I told you I didn't really miss my Ol' Girl.  She and I rode through a lot of stuff together, but I still think of her often and hope she's doing well under her new master.

I would also like to take this time to plug Gary's awesome new book, "France In America".  Here's his video about it...

I'm very blessed to have received one of these amazing books and I want to encourage you all to seek one out for yourself.  I enjoyed following Gary on his adventure while he was here in the states, and it's extra cool to look at the book and relive his journey with him again.

Hope you have a nice weekend... get out and ride!

Lady R

NAME THAT PLANT

Being on one of our favorite riding roads, Harley and I often stop at this little bridge to stretch our legs.  It's a nice quiet highway and I love to stand still for a moment and listen to the water, the birds, an occasional bee buzzing past.

County Road 4

For some reason, I'm drawn to water and love how it relaxes me.

Chubbahatchee Creek

 This past Saturday we stopped here, and when I walked across the road to look over the edge of the bridge embankment, I saw this really big weird looking plant.
 
It kind of looks like a giant Violet or Aloe.  I tried to zoom in on it and I don't think it's aloe... the leaves don't look plump enough for that.

I pose this question to my readers out there. 

Can you name that plant?

???

I hope you all had a great weekend!  After logging in 325 miles on Friday and another 200 for Saturday... I'd say my weekend was absolutely awesome!

Have a great week everybody!

Lady R

SOUTHERN GRANDMA

Lawyers should never ask a Southern grandma a question... if they aren't prepared for the answer.

In a trial, a Southern small-town prosecuting attorney called his first witness, a grandmotherly, elderly woman to the stand.  He approached her and asked, "Mrs. Jones, do you know me?" 

She responded, "Why, yes.  I do know you, Mr. Williams.  I've known you since you were a boy, and frankly, you've been a big disappointment to me. You lie, you cheat on your wife, and you manipulate people and talk about them behind their backs. You think you're a big shot when you haven't the brains to realize you'll never amount to anything more than a two-bit paper pusher.  Yes, I know you."  The lawyer was stunned. 

Not knowing what else to do, he pointed across the room and asked, "Mrs. Jones, do you know the defense attorney?"

She again replied, "Why yes, I do. I've known Mr. Bradley since he was a youngster, too.  He's lazy, bigoted, and he has a drinking problem.  He can't build a normal relationship with anyone, and his law practice is one of the worst in the entire state.  Not to mention he cheated on his wife with three different women.  One of them was your wife. Yes, I know him."

The defense attorney nearly died!

The judge asked both counselors to approach the bench and, in a very quiet voice, said, "If either of you idiots asks her if she knows me, I'll send you both to the electric chair."

Have a great weekend everybody!

Lady R

SPRING RIDING

Hey folks! I think I'm going to fire up the ol' blog again. It's been a nice riding season already (and it's only April!) and I'd feel selfish if I didn't share it with all of you.

I'll be honest, life's been good, and I wish I could spin out some really fascinating tale of kidnappings and top secret espionage but... that's not gonna happen. Sorry. The truth is, I didn't realize just how bad this blog was going to suffer when I set some New Year's resolutions way back in January. Geesh!

None the less, I'm back and I hope to rekindle your interest in my drivel.  There have been several birdies in my ear letting me know that I've been missed, so with that being said, let's go!

Scenic ride through Horseshoe Bend

 I've been enjoying the Boy while logging the miles... one breathless landscape at a time.  That's one thing that has not stopped!  In fact, this past Saturday, somewhere along the Talledega Scenic Highway, Harley and I noticed this busy little bee during one of our rest stops.

Buzzzzzz...

 He was big!

We saw several other riders out and about, so it was a very wavy day.

Fellow riders on Mt. Cheaha

We logged about 280 miles on the bikes while riding on Mt. Cheaha Saturday.  With the temps lingering in the low 70's by lunch time, it was a wonderful way to spend my day... taking notice of the beautiful playground my Creator made for me. 

Beautiful Cherry Tree near Logan Martin Lake

The Boy

 Life is Good!

Have a great week everybody!

Lady R

HELLO... ???

Hello???  ... silence....

Helloooo???

I think she's breathing... let's check her pulse.


We have a pulse... she's alive!

What now?

Don't know... let's wait and see.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

The first day of the new year is coming to an end. I have a few resolutions I need to pursue and I can only hope that I stick to my plans.

In the meantime...

Lake Martin at sunset.

I say goodbye to 2012...  May you rest in peace.

Lady R

Born Unto You
 Luke 2:8-14

Luke 2:8-14 “And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.
And lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.
And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.
For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.
And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.
And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying,
Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.

Unknown and insignificant to many, the shepherd’s life was one of hardship and isolation. It was a job that paid meager wages, a job without glory and little recognition. Being a shepherd was not a career choice. In a society such as Israel’s, somebody must watch the sheep. As a result, the poor man was able to carve his notch in society by hiring himself out to render this service to other men.

The hills of Judea were the work place of the shepherds. The soil was rocky, the hills and mountains were rugged and treacherous. The terrain was filled with wildlife from which the sheep must be shielded. Judea was hot in the summer and cold in the winter, cold enough at night to take the sheep out of the fields and place them into the folds. Being a shepherd was not necessarily back-breaking work, but it was certainly a lonely life almost sure to end in financial poverty.

God chose this class of men to be the first recipients of the greatest tidings ever revealed unto man kind. Was this a mistake? Could the angel have mistakenly delivered the message to the wrong people? There was no mistake. Unlike most monarchs, Jesus was a King for the people. “to all people.” The angle from the Lord delivered the message with pinpoint accuracy to those for whom it was intended, the people. The angel revealed "unto you a child is born." The Sovereign of the universe would come and be born to the people. The king would not be born within the walls of a royal palace, but rather in a barnyard stall where He could experience from the first day, the life of the people for which He came to save; the humble, the poor in spirit, the meek.

What happened next I like to refer to as the poor man’s concert. They, smelled like sheep, they were unshaven, dirty, and wearing their working clothes, yet these unsuspecting shepherds of Judea were the only guests invited to this heavenly concerto. A heavenly host proclaimed the praises of God for what was revealed to man. The peace that comes by knowing the Savior... now revealed. The love and goodwill that God bestowed on that day will never have its glory repeated. For on that day we, the people, were given the Gift of God. Emmanuel. We should give thanks for the birth of the Savior who is Christ the Lord. For without His birth, there could be no death and without His death, He could not become the firstborn from the dead. Oh how great the salvation in Jesus! How generous the grace of God who made it possible for all people to be saved through faith.

Perhaps you feel as unknown and as insignificant as a nameless shepherd in Judea. Be assured the Lord knows who you are. And though we never hear with our mortal ears the heavenly host praising God, on the day of your obedience to the gospel call, the heavenly chorus burst forth in songs of joy for the next measure of the poor man’s concert.

By Kenneth R. Peden
From Expository Files 10.11; November, 2003

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL, AND TO ALL... A GOODNIGHT!

Lady R (Di)

CHRISTMAS TIME... IS HERE.

I find myself spinning like a dog chasing it's tail... and it's making me dizzy!  I could bore you with life's woes, but the bottom line is... I'm taking a break until after the New Year.  My life has enough going on in it right now, that "just one more thing" could break the camels back.

We've been painfully watching my MIL slip away from us while she is in the end stages of COPD, and we are at a point that Hospice is with her round the clock. Without going into the whole story, I'm sure you understand what Hospice means, and it's just not a pleasant thing.

The current news of the precious Angels from Sandy Hook presses down on the heart and keeps you reeling, along with your own sadness. The days on the calendar continue to tick away, even though I feel like my world is on hold for some reason. That happens to you when someone very dear to you is dying and everything else in life fades to the background.  Why won't things just stop for a moment so I can take care of everything? 

Take time to be with your families and enjoy them while you can.  This is the season of CHRISTmas and I hope you all have a very Merry one!

Until next year...

Lady R (Di)

FRIDAY FUNNY - THE POND

An elderly man in Louisiana had owned a large farm for several years.

He had a large pond in the back. It was properly shaped for swimming, so he fixed it up

nice with picnic tables, horseshoe courts, and some apple and peach trees.

One evening the old farmer decided to go down to the pond, as he hadn't been there for a while, and look it over.

He grabbed a five-gallon bucket to bring back some fruit.

As he neared the pond, he heard voices shouting and laughing with glee.

As he came closer, he saw it was a bunch of young women skinny-dipping in his pond.

He made the women aware of his presence and they all went to the deep end.

One of the women shouted to him, "We're not coming out until you leave!"

The old man frowned, "I didn't come down here to watch you ladies swim naked or make you get out of the pond naked."

Holding the bucket up he said, "I'm here to feed the alligator..."

Some old men can still think fast.

PIC OF THE WEEK - HOG HEAVEN CHRISTMAS

My tree is up and decorated! Yay!  It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas!!

HOG HEAVEN CHRISTMAS

Have a great week everybody!

Lady R

Update:  Just wanted to let all you pet lovers out there know, Joker is much better.  He almost acts like his old self again. Thank you for your get well wishes!

FRIDAY FUNNY - TAKING CARE OF YOUR SCHNAUZER

Joker

Author's note: I'm sorry I was absent Monday, but my little Joker has a pinched nerve at the base of his neck which has been consuming my attention.  It's a terrible thing to hear the little guy cry and whimper in severe pain and I cannot do anything to alleviate the problem.  We have him on anti-inflammatories that are starting to help him, but we may not be out of the woods with his problem.  Our vet said, dogs can suffer the same fate as humans when it comes to disc problems and spine issues. The funny thing is... we are talking Chiropractic therapy to avoid surgery.  Go ahead... roll your eyes, but I have been known to be a bit off the deep end when it comes to my four legged babies. In light of my dilemma, I've decided to share this loving pet owners demise as she does the necessary things to take care of her own precious baby. Enjoy!

My wife found out that our dog (a Schnauzer) could hardly hear, so she took it to the veterinarian.

The vet found that the problem was hair in the dog's ears. He cleaned both ears, trimmed the hair, and the dog could then hear fine. The vet then proceeded to tell Andrea that, if she wanted to keep this  from recurring, she should go to the store and get some Nair hair remover and rub it in the dog's ears once a month.

Andrea went to the store and bought some Nair hair remover.  

At the register, the pharmacist told her, "If you're going to use this under your arms, don't use deodorant for a few days." 

Andrea said, "I'm not using it under my arms."

The pharmacist said, "If you're using it on your legs, don't use body lotion for a couple of days."

Andrea replied, "I'm not using it on my legs either.  If you must know, I'm using it on my Schnauzer."

The pharmacist says, "Well... stay off your bicycle for about a week." 

FRIDAY FUNNY - CRABS AND BLONDES

A lawyer boarded an airplane in New Orleans with a box of frozen crabs and asked a blonde stewardess to take care of them for him.

She took the box and promised to put it in the crew's refrigerator. He advised her that he was holding her personally responsible for them staying frozen, mentioning in a very haughty manner that he was a lawyer, and proceeded to rant at her about what would happen if she let them thaw out.

Needless to say, she was annoyed by his behavior. Shortly before landing in New York, she used the intercom to announce to the entire cabin, "Would the lawyer who gave me the crabs in New Orleans, please raise your hand."

 Not one hand went up... so she took them home and ate them.
 
Two lessons here:

1. Lawyers aren't as smart as they think they are.
2. Blondes aren't as dumb as most folk think.

PIC OF THE WEEK - THE ELF

I was AWOL from the blog during the holiday, but it was for a good cause. I took and cooked Thanksgiving diner to one of my nephews who's a student at Florida State in Tallahassee.  My brother (his dad) came up from Tampa and we were able to give the boy a righteous first holiday in his own place. Leaving his fridge stocked with awesome leftovers to boot.  

I'm sorry I didn't get my Friday Funny posted, but I figured I would make it up to you today.  I decided I would combine my Pic of the Week with something funny.  Trust me when I say... nothing's funnier than this elf I know...

THE ELF

My other brother... the Elf!

Working on his dance moves... "We are Santa's Elves."

Christmas is coming and you know the story... be afraid... be very afraid!!

Have a great week everybody!!

Lady R