Wordless Wednesday

Lake Cumberland

Before we headed to North Carolina for our Thanksgiving feast, Dr. M & I spent a couple of days at Lake Cumberland Resort State Park. We stayed in the lodge & had a lovely time. Because I'm a terrible blogger these days, my pictures are hit and miss. For example, did I get a picture of the lodge itself? Nope. Ah well - we've decided that we're going to go back next year, so maybe I'll remember then.

However, before you even read another sentence here you must go check out Dr. M's latest post here. It's all about our trip from Lake Cumberland to North Carolina. Such a glorious day!

When we got to the lodge I took a little walk around & found a persimmon tree! You may recall my obsession with the persimmon pudding that my Aunt Marilyn makes for Thanksgiving (and yes, I had plenty this week). I was tickled to death. I didn't try to eat any of these - if you've ever eaten an unripe persimmon you will totally understand!

That evening we ate in the lodge dining room. They were decorating for Christmas, and I had to laugh at the Very Special Bauble on the Christmas tree. Ha!

In the morning as we ate breakfast in the dining room we were able to see the gorgeous view!

Lake Cumberland is a reservoir in Kentucky & (to me anyway) resembles a dragon of some kind.

Image from here

We spent some time that day wandering around the park, checking out the local fauna.

Then we headed to Cumberland Falls. And, although I enjoyed the long twisty drive to the falls, I wasn't overly impressed. Then again, I've seen Victoria Falls, so I might have set my waterfall bar a little high. But I enjoyed spending time with Dr. M, and we crossed that destination off our list.

Plus, I got to see this cool bridge reflected in the water!

Kentucky really is a beautiful state. There was enough fall color remaining to make all of the hills look like a watercolor painting. I recommend checking it out if you have a chance!

Thanksgiving

I'm usually asked to write a poem for the family gathering whenever Dr. M and I are able to be in NC for Thanksgiving. This year's poem was extra hard to write, as one might imagine. But it's done, and since I'm scheduling this to post during our meal, I am most likely eating corn pudding and pecan pie right this very minute. And I think that makes up for a lot of the hard things that have happened during 2016, don't you?

You may not know it,

But I have vicissitudes.

I hope it’s not chronic,

But it’s a pretty serious case,

These vicissitudes.

And my plate is full

Of things I’d rather not eat:

Bitterness, despair, anxiety, and Brussels sprouts

I blame those vicissitudes.

I’m looking back at the arc

Of this year and trying to find

A morsel of thanks be to God.

Was it in April when we lost Amy?

Was it in July when Mike became unemployed?

Was it this month, when Brandon shipped out,

My priest resigned,

And my candidate didn’t win the election?

Yes, yes it was.

Thanks be to God was there

On those days and all the others

Where there was joy and grief

And spreadsheets and the World Series

And your hand in mine in this circle.

You know how vicissitudes work, don’t you?

Picture a leaf, tumbling in the wind.

It goes down and up, around and around

Until it settles into

The cupped hand

Of God.

Let us Bless the Lord!

(and the people said): Thanks Be To God!

Dana W. Rhyne

Thanksgiving, 2016

Lake Cumberland Resort State Park
Dr. M & I startled a flock of wild turkeys - you can just barely make out the last of them, beyond the tree with the shadow, as they fled down the hill.

Almost Wordless Wednesday

Just a selection of recent pictures by Dr. M. To see more (and wish him a happy belated birthday), go here.

What the What?

I didn't actually feel all that confident.
Had to be talked down off the ledge a few times.
And yet, secretly, in my heart of hearts
I thought that there was NO WAY.

And yet, way.

I can't really froth at the mouth in this space (I have family who read this whose consciences are apparently vastly different from mine. They are not surprised by this.). But I just want to say this: I got about four hours of very restless sleep last night. And as I tossed and turned, I realized that I felt the exact same way that I did when I found out that my mother's cancer had spread. And just like then, I think I'm going to grieve for a bit and then get back up and keep trying to make the world a better place.

Wordless Wednesday