Footprints On My Heart

Do you know what these are? Look closely...can you see them?

No, not just footprints! They are proof that my family has been here and had a good time!



They were in the pool and they were back and forth in the house. They were in the kitchen getting snacks and into the cooler for cold drinks. They were taking a shower or even taking a nap. There was food and laughter, fun and love.

If you listen (yes, listen) you can hear the giggles and shrieks, the stories shared and the memories being made.

They are evidence that a happy family has been through here, and left not only footprints in the hall...

... but Footprints On My Heart! Blessings indeed!

Can One Make a Difference?

Have you ever thought about it - can one person really make a difference? Here is a modern fable from "The Carabou" by Kurt Kauter:




"Tell me the weight of a snowflake," the coal mouse asked the wild dove.

"Why, nothing more than nothing!" was the answer.





"In that case I must tell you a marvelous story," the coal mouse said. "I sat on the branch of a fir, close to its trunk, when it began to snow. Not heavily, not in a giant blizzard, no, just like in a dream, without any violence. Since I didn't have anything better to do, I counted the snowflakes settling on the twigs and needles of my branch. Their number was exactly 3,741,952!"




"When the next snowflake dropped gently onto the branch - nothing more than nothing, as you say - the branch broke off."

Having said that, the little coal mouse flew away. The dove, since Noah's time an authority on the matter, thought about the story for a while and finally said to herself: "Perhaps there is only one person's voice lacking for peace to come into the world."


One persons voice, one persons actions can make a difference! One person who, as Mother Teresa said, cares enough to do some small thing in a great way. She told us, "God has not called us to see through each other, but to see each other through."

Think about it, then go make a difference...You can do it!

Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot,

Nothing is going to get better.

It's not. ~Dr. Seuss~

Up, Up and Away

On the way to church last Sunday, we saw several hot air balloons inflating, getting ready for an early morning flight. Byron and I started laughing remembering an early November morning and an unexpected surprise!























On a clear bright Saturday about a week after Thanksgiving, we had the front door open enjoying the cool morning breeze. Drinking our coffee and reading the paper, the dog suddenly started barking and we could hear a strange "fshoosh
fshoosh" out front. When we went out to investigate, a large hot air balloon was settling down in front of our house!

We are fairly rural up here and don't have too many neighbors, but quite a few were gathering out front. They must have heard the excitement too!

The balloon pilots were very friendly and told us they were getting ready for an upcoming "Fox and Hounds" run, which is like a relay race. They were checking out our location as a landing spot. They gladly answered everyone's questions and demonstrated the equipment on their balloon.

Among the group gathered was a little brother and sister, about 5 and 7 years old. They were with their grandparents who were keeping them for the day. They were so excited to be so close to such an amazing thing! When one of the pilots asked, "Who would like a ride?" they started jumping up and down with their hands raised high. "Can we Grandma, please? Please?"

Neither of the grandparent's were able to get in the basket, so Byron volunteered to go up as the "adult" on board. Secretly, he would have been waving his hand too! The two little ones were helped into the basket and then Byron stepped in and they closed the basket door. As they started to rise, the little boy said, "Boy, mom and dad are NEVER going to believe this!"

I thought about the Polaroid instant camera setting in the office. The boys had used it the day before to take some work pictures. As I ran to retrieve it, I hoped there was also some film left. What luck - there were two shots left! I grabbed the camera and ran back out front.

The special balloon ride was fairly high over the desert in front of the house, and the two little ones were waving and calling down to their grandparents. The pilot started the descent and as soon as I could clearly see their beaming faces, but still see the balloon in the air, I snapped two quick pictures, and set them aside to develope. When they stepped out of the basket I handed each of them a picture and told them, "Now mom and dad will believe you had a great balloon ride!" The grandma thanked me with tears in her eyes.

The pilots were getting ready to give a few other neighbors a ride as the family walked back to their home. Byron said he had pointed out several landmarks for the kids, including grandma's house. What a great day and what a great experience for everyone!

Up, up and away - you never know what surprises may happen in your own front yard!

When is the Night Over?

I love this story from the Tales of the Hasidim. Words to think about:





An old rabbi was asked by his students how they could tell when the night was ended and the day had begun.


"Could it be," asked one student, "when you can see an animal in the distance and tell whether it is a sheep or a dog?"


"No!" answered the rabbi.







Another asked, "Is it when you can look at a tree in the distance and tell whether it is a fig tree or a peach tree?"


"No!" said the rabbi again.


"Then when is it that you can tell the night is over?" the pupils demanded.

"It is when you can look at the face of any man or woman and see that it is your sister or brother. Because if you cannot see this, it will still be night."

Very wise words. Can you see?

The House By the Side of the Road

I came across this beautiful poem written by
Sam Walter Foss (1858 – 1911)
I love what it says about being no different than any other person and not judging. I'll just let the beautiful poem speak for itself:



The House by the Side of the Road

·There are hermit souls that live withdrawn
In the place of their self-content;
There are souls like stars, that dwell apart,
In a fellowless firmament;
There are pioneer souls that blaze the paths
Where highways never ran-
But let me live by the side of the road
And be a friend to man.
·Let me live in a house by the side of the road
Where the race of men go by-
The men who are good and the men who are bad,
As good and as bad as I.
I would not sit in the scorner's seat
Nor hurl the cynic's ban-
Let me live in a house by the side of the road
And be a friend to man.
·I see from my house by the side of the road
By the side of the highway of life,
The men who press with the ardor of hope,
The men who are faint with the strife,
But I turn not away from their smiles and tears,
Both parts of an infinite plan-
Let me live in a house by the side of the road
And be a friend to man.
·I know there are brook-gladdened meadows ahead,
And mountains of wearisome height;
That the road passes on through the long afternoon
And stretches away to the night.
And still I rejoice when the travelers rejoice
And weep with the strangers that moan,
Nor live in my house by the side of the road
Like a man who dwells alone.
·Let me live in my house by the side of the road,
Where the race of men go by-
They are good, they are bad, they are weak, they are strong,
Wise, foolish - so am I.
Then why should I sit in the scorner's seat,
Or hurl the cynic's ban?
Let me live in my house by the side of the road
And be a friend to man.

...What else is there to say but: AMEN!

Everything Old is New Again

How's this for totally random thoughts? I was thinking about storing leftovers...and how Everything Old is New Again!
I remember setting up my own domestic environment in the early 1970's. I longed for everything to be NEW and MODERN and CO-ORDINATED. None of that old, out-dated stuff for me! As soon as I could afford it, I would furnish my perfect world with only the best!

When my mother got her new house (way back in the 50's, mind you!) her Frigidaire came with a set a matching food storage boxes a lot like these:

And she also had various sizes of these little clear glass boxes with lids for storing left-overs.

A close friend of mine at the time also recalled with disdain those little stretchy bowl covers that looked just like (can you believe it?) shower caps!!

The two of us being MODERN and very "WITH IT" housewives planned to have only matching sets of Tupperware! We hosted several parties so we could acquire all the bowls and serving pieces we needed. They even came in colors to match the MODERN kitchen - Harvest Gold, Avocado Green and Spice Orange!

Hey, it was the best thing to happen to us women since we got the vote...

Alas, funny how things change after 40+ years...or rather come back around again. After years of failing to find the right lid for the right bowl (yes, I know there's a little matching letter on them. Just wish I remembered that before I filled the bowl with hot chilli!) or having an avalanche on lids fall on you when the cupboard is opened or the plastic is all stained and blistered from micro-cooking...SIGH.
I recently ordered those little stretchy bowl covers that look like shower caps! They fit on nice glass bowls and are easy to find. They all stuff into one small drawer and take up very little room. And after a few uses, you can throw them away!

Oh yes, Everything Old is New Again!
...and I'm pretty sure my mama is laughing from somewhere above!

Grandma From the Grave

A dear friend recently posted beautiful pictures of her Virginia garden in all its Springtime glory! In one picture was a lawn chair like the ones above, and I thought of a funny incident with my honey.

Byron's maternal grandma, Mary Siddons, was a lady not too fondly remembered by the family. I know, that's a sad thing to say...but it was true. She was bitter and angry and difficult to get along with.

Shortly after the Robinsons moved to Las Vegas she moved into the house next door. The "boys", all six at home, were assigned chores at grandma's weekly. They mowed the lawn, brought the trash out, washed her car and various other projects. But never once did she ever thank them! They remember that more often than not she complained about what should have been done; or how it could have been done better. Didn't make for many fond memories to say the least.

The crabbiness seemed to get worse the older she got. Now I have this theory that old age doesn't really mellow a person, it just consolidates what was always there. Grandma Siddons sort of proved that theory. She didn't enjoy the grown boys and their families, and she certainly couldn't tolerate the great-grandchildren! She was crabbiness indeed!

After she died the families were offered a few things from her belongings. Byron chose a green lawn chair. We had just finished a new pool and patio and it was something we could use. A few weeks later we were enjoying the company of one of Byron's brothers out on the patio. Byron was sitting in the green lawn chair as he and his brother were remembering grandma and her crabby nature.

Just as Byron said, "This is the only thing the old lady ever gave me, and I'll bet she wouldn't even want me to have it!" the chair flew out from under him and he landed hard on the cement! It was just as if someone had jerked it away! After a few stunned moments, we all started laughing. Byron said, "Well I guess the old crab hasn't changed a bit!"
Sad but funny memory...hope we leave better ones for our loved ones!

(c) CH Robinson, May 2011
Painting "Three Chairs" (c) by Marcia Crosby, 2006