The Doll of My Memories

 "Nothing is really lost to us as long as we remember it." -- L. M. Montgomery, The Story Girl

    One of my earliest memories is when I was about five years old. My uncle, who would have been about 15 at the time, was babysitting me, my younger brother, and my baby sister one night. I owned the most precious doll which I had received the previous Christmas. This doll could walk when you held her hands, ride a trike, and ride a horse. She was magical! Her name was Tippee Toes. She wore and adorable pink and yellow knitted top that had pink pants to match. I could hold her hands and walk her around all over the house. I loved to place her on her bike or horse, turn her on, and watch her ride around, hopping up and down on her toes.

    Well, on that infamous night, my brother somehow got his hands on Tippee Toes and completely changed her doll-future. He decided to demonstrate that her head could be turned completely around. It couldn't! My poor uncle, while listening to screams and cries from me, tried his best to reattach Tippee Toes's head, but it was hopeless. She was ruined. No matter how much I loved her, I could not bring myself to play with a headless doll. I was crushed. I asked for a new Tippee Toes each Christmas after that for a few years, but she never reappeared under the tree. Years later, thanks to the Internet, I have seen her on vintage sites and could purchase her if I chose to. It would never be the same though. Tippee Toes will always remain the doll of my memories.   

Heading Into 2021

 "In every heart there is a room, a sanctuary safe and strong, to heal the wounds from year just past, until a new one comes along." -- adapt. from Billy Joel, "And So it Goes"

I don't know why this song makes me think of this year and its ending, but so it goes... This has been the strangest, hardest year for most of us in this world. I have been focusing my thoughts on the new and good from 2020, and here's what I came up with for me:

• I read more books this year than in any year since college -- 65! 
• I did tons of puzzles.
• I spent a bunch of quality time with my daughter and son-in-law. It just so happens that I moved in with them 2 days before the big shutdown in March. We took lots of walks, sat outside, (Ok, I sat and watched while they built a fence, built a pergola, planted a garden, and laid a walkway, but we were outside together.) watched a bunch of movies together, and went on our trip to the mountains.
• I visited my parents and just hung out.
• I might not have gotten to take my usual big summer trip, but I visited several new places on some shorter jaunts and really enjoyed myself.
• I got Just Be's website going stronger.
• I delivered an unbelievable number of packages to Just Be's great family of customers. 
• I spent a greater amount of time in prayer than in recent years and a greater amount of time delving into the Word on my own, as well as under the direction of my pastor.
• I learned that there are so many new ways to teach, some I which I may not be crazy about, some of which I love, all of which have come in handy this year.

God has taught so many lessons this year, not the least of which is that He is in control. We may think or hope we've got this thing called life, but it's ALL in His hands. I, for one, am glad of that. Just knowing that I can shut my eyes at night with the full knowledge that He in charge of everything gives me peace. When Shel Silverstein's "What Ifs" crawl inside my ear, I just turn my heart to Him and receive the peace that passes understanding. This year has taught me that more than any with the exception of 2007. I trust that He is working things out in me and around me and through me. I will not fear plagues, civil unrest, political issues, poverty, homelessness; I would fear a life without Him, and thankfully that is not a fear I have to deal with. My prayer is that friends and family who do have that fear (whether they know it or not) would come to know and trust Him as a result of the events of 2020.

Heading into 2021

I do not know what 2021 will bring. I do know that God will still be in control. I will continue to live for Him, to trust Him, to praise Him. I will do my best to live a life that will lead others to Him. 

To end with a quote from my favorite, Anne, "Tomorrow is a new day with no mistakes in it...yet."

Weekend in Wytheville, Part 2

 “What day is it?” asked Pooh.   "It's today," squeaked Piglet.   "My favorite day," said Pooh. -- A.A. Milne

This just about describes my day in Wytheville a few weeks ago. I awoke to a gorgeous fall day, not too hot and not too cold, just right. I visited a little park downtown, just wandering around enjoying the crisp mountain air and the fall-painted leaves. Wytheville is such a charming little town; I find myself wanting to return there as often as I can. I know though, that there are countless other small, charming towns that I just haven't seen yet, and I can't wait to visit those also!

Next on my agenda was Fort Chiswell Animal Park. This private "zoo" of sorts has a petting area and a guided safari bus tour. There are animals from all over the world, just waiting to be enjoyed. The cool thing is that the animals also enjoy it. They are well taken care of , have tons of space, and seem to love interacting with the many visitors. I personally know that the camel who stuck his head inside my bus window was enjoying himself. He got extreme pleasure from locating the bag of animal food I had wedged beside me and then grabbing it greedily. He proceeded to dump the entire contents of the bag into his mouth. I could swear he had a grin on his face when he finished.

In addition to the food-stealing camel, I encountered zebras, water buffalo, llamas, alpacas, a bison, ostriches, and several other animals, including my favorite, the giraffe. Most of the animals can be fed, and a few can be petted. The safari bus tour lasts about 45 minutes and is well-worth the $12 entry fee. I had a great time and got lots of pictures (see below). 

After this fun morning, I returned to Wytheville for lunch. I ate at Moon Brick Oven and was not overly impressed. I have included my lunch pictures below. It was pretty much just a sandwich and cheese bread, nothing you can't get at any sandwich shop.

My trip home was pleasant and uneventful. I stopped right near the VA/NC line and bought apples, apple butter, and pumpkins at a roadside stop. There are many of these stops along the VA roads.

Overall, I had an extremely enjoyable weekend and can't wait to get away again. It may be a while due to the busy upcoming holiday shopping at Just Be. We'll see what lies next for this Travel Junky Teacher...

Link to Fort Chiswell Animal Park

Peaceful Autumn Weekend

“I cannot endure to waste anything so precious as autumnal sunshine by staying in the house.” -- Nathaniel Hawthorne

With Nathaniel Hawthorne, I completely agree. This past weekend was full of precious autumnal sunshine, and I took full advantage of it. Whenever I can escape the cares of life for a weekend, I head for the mountains. I enjoy the beauty, the peace, the quiet, the time to read and think and pray. 

I wasn't able to rent a bike and ride down the Creeper Trail this time because every single shuttle service was full for Saturday and Sunday. This has never happened to me before; I'm not sure if I waited too late to call, or if they just can't rent the same number of bikes during this abnormal time. I was not to be deterred though. I headed straight through Damascus and on to Wytheville. I was determined to find a way to enjoy the lovely October days. 

With the help of a really neat app, I found a place to hike in Wytheville that yielded a gorgeous view at the top. If you are someone who travels a great deal and loves to hike, I have the perfect app for you. It was recommended to me by my friends in San Diego when I went to California, and I have used it several times since then. It is called All Trails. You can plug in a place you are planning on going, or just search trails nearby. The app gives you directions to trails, the distance of each trail, rates the trails, and includes reviews from other hikers. Here's a glimpse at what All Trails picked up for me in Wytheville:

I headed straight there, with a small stop at a riverside park I noticed on the way. The trail is definitely moderate, due to the climb involved, but it is also definitely worth it when you see the view from the top. At least one reviewer suggested wearing hiking boots instead of tennis shoes. That was not an option for me, but I did see the value in the suggestion. The trail is extremely rocky, and some of those rocks are loose in the ground; ankle protection might not have been a bad thing. Below are pictures from the little park I found, views along High Rocks Trail, the view from the top, and my "activity info" when I got back to my car.

Obviously, I got a real workout. It felt so good to be outside, maskless, exercising, enjoying God's gorgeous creation. Even the drive back down the mountain, windows and sunroof open, made me smile. I made my way to my hotel, cleaned up, and got ready to go eat. On an impulse, I called the restaurant first and made a reservation. I was so glad that I did. They were extremely busy, and the hostess later told me that in the fall, they often have to ask people to wait up to an hour or even turn people completely away. Now you're wondering where I ate and if it was worth it. Yes!

I ate at Log House Restaurant. It is housed in a log cabin which was built in 1776. They use period furniture and decorations. There was even a fireplace near my table which was in use because of a nip in the air. The cuisine is American and delicious. One of the draws of the restaurant besides the ambiance and the yummy food is the outside area. There is a garden with a winding walkway which visitors are encouraged to visit. In the garden are doves and bunnies -- live ones! It was a lovely, interesting place to spend some time before my dinner. I also visited the adjoining gift shop and browsed around. If you are in the Wytheville area, I recommend this restaurant, but do call ahead. I have attached a link at the bottom of this page.

Steak, corn pudding, broccoli casserole

Kentucky Derby pie -- amazing!!!

After this, full and tired, I went back to my hotel and experienced Hallmark overload. (Note -- I have had no access to cable for almost 8 months, so this was allowed.) I spent the next day in and near Wytheville but will save that for another post.

Log House Restaurant

Wytheville, Virginia