Thank you Veterans!

 

Thank you to all the Veterans who provide us this amazing life of freedom and security! Your sacrifices will never be forgotten or taken for granted.  To the many friends I have lost in combat and to all of the Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, Marines, Coast Guardsmen and Civilians who made the ultimate sacrifice I salute you and your families.  Your legacy is the freedom each of us enjoy today and it is greatly appreciated. 

"Apple Pie"

This time of year all things apple are not only delicious but also seem to scream fall. Last night we tried an apple pie martini that inspired me to make my own infusion for the upcoming holidays. So simple to make and sure to be a crowd pleaser!

Makers Anyone?

I am still catching up on vacation photos from August – sad I know! I posted earlier about Woodford  Reserve and thier gorgeous distillery we visited. Makers Mark Distillery was a close second for beauty and quality.

The tour was great, as were the samples

And I was able to “dip” my own bottle in the signature red wax! It was quite fun.

Sorry about the slightly blurry pics, I think the photographer had too many samples prior to this event….Kidding! We also paid a quick visit to Jim Beam for my grandpa as that is his fav.

Sadly  their distillery was under construction so we didn’t get a full tour and it didn’t quite live up to the beauty of Makers and Woodford.

VOTE TODAY!!

I am thankful I live in a country where we have the RIGHT to vote. Please don't miss your opportunity - VOTE TODAY!

This old House

 Sadly this old cabin is about to come down and become only a place of memories and faded pictures.

It’s becoming less and less safe and really serves no purpose other than reminiscing.

I need to salvage anything and everything I possibly can for reuse. Although there really isn’t much left – the thieves have looted anything of value.

So many summers were spent enjoying quality time (we didn’t have a TV! The horror) with my family in this simple home. We had a love hate relationship this cabin and I. Some years I loved it and never wanted to leave, other years I couldn't wait to get back to "civilization".

So many great moments were enjoyed as we were forced to entertain ourselves and be each other’s best friends. We had no neighbors, no modern day entertainment, and you know what? It was glorious!

 Thank you mom, dad, grandma, grandpa, and Uncle Mel for giving me such an amazing childhood escape! So many stories I could share about this cabin but I would bore everyone but our family!

Tranquility

Everyone has a favorite place or lil slice of Heaven on earth. Mine happens to be our farm in Niobrara. Nothing relaxes me more than the great outdoors and no schedule. I love going there and enjoying a leisurely run or walk, exploring outdoors, taking endless photos,  having a fire, and unwinding.

Life is more often than not too hectic – for which I am grateful as means I have a full life. But it also leaves me yearning for lazy days. So looking forward to an upcoming loonnnnggg weekend (thank you federal government) to unwind in my lil slice of Heaven.

Fall Sprucing

I finally took an evening to transform my porches from summer to fall and I’m so grateful. Love coming home to a little seasonal color every day.

 Even better is the fact that all these pumpkins were ones my mom and I (mostly my mom) grew!!!!  

The Corn Crop

I had started out this spring taking pics of the corn as it progressed throughout the summer – however the lovely drought quickly thwarted that plan.

 Regardless a few shots of the harvested corn field for your enjoyment.

Not nearly as pretty as when the field is full of tall green stalks, but still makes me yearn for a country life.

 Oh yeah that hog shed you see in the background, so hoping it becomes flooring for a new cabin soon!

Reuben and Grandpa's Lane

Growing up we had a dog Reuben – he was a mut but he was an awesome dog. My brothers just loved him to pieces as did my grandpa. Every morning at the cabin they would go for a walk down the long drive. It was their “thing”.

 I posted these pics on Facebook after a recent Niobrara trip and my middle brother Erik quickly commented about how that was “Grandpa and Reuben’s walk”. Made me a lil misty eyed with memories of my amazing Grandpa VanEvery. Photos can certainly evoke emotions – thanks Erik for the reminder and the walk down memory lane.

Winter Half Marathon Fashion

 In a moment of weakness I signed up to run a half marathon with my cousin in Kansas City November 18^th. Hello cold!!!! In an effort to get myself excited about this possibly cold and long race I am thinking a new race outfit is a must. My new favorite addiction – Lululemon has these cute options….

I need things to match so can’t tell if I would be annoyed with the slight color difference in the purple/pinks of the pants and the long sleeve top?? Guessing I will wear a jacket regardless.

I really want that jacket – especially as the hood can be removed. But it’s so spendy. Anyone know of a discount code floating around??

This tank would be fun for use with the pants in the spring.

I also love this top! But sadly none available online in my size.

Same problem with this jacked - although maybe the store would have them in stock. Can the turquoise and purple mix? Lululemon you are going to break my bank account but at least you make me feel fashionable when torturing myself with long runs. There will of course be a Turkey Trot on Thanksgiving day as well so I could get double the use out of this new outfit race wise.

Falling for Fall

Summer is my favorite season but fall is gorgeous with the changing of colors and fallen leaves.

Plus the weather makes for perfect long walks and picnics.

I’m starting to come around to loving fall.  Especially when I get to spend hours in the gorgeous countryside capturing its beauty and breathing in the fresh fall air.

Black Walnuts

I have found memories of my grandpa  picking walnuts up every fall wherever he could find them, drying them in the attic, and then cracking them for days on end. His hands stained black from the oil. He would then bag all these walnuts up and sell them. He was always quite proud of his little business venture.

Well grandpa would be over the moon if he was still alive today. Our walnut tree in Niobrara is growing like crazy and we now have a plentiful supplies of walnuts available right outside our backdoor. My mom and I have taken up the tradition of picking, shelling, cracking, and I love every minute of it.

Brings back so many wonderful memories of grandpa and we also are rewarding with amazing black walnuts for use in holiday baking. Any other fans out there?  This year we were smart and wore gloves to help reduce the staining of our hands.