Welcome to JOYFUL REFLECTIONS. Also welcome to MARCH!!!! My header picture this month is a photo I took of the pretty Crocus blooms in our yard... The Crocuses and Daffodils are the first signs of spring here in Tennessee. I am definitely ready for SPRING...

Monday, July 16, 2018

Beauty, Joy, Sadness, and our Busy, Blessed Life

LILIES in our Yard  (2018)
Dear Friends,   I truly apologize if I don't get to your posts this week...  We just got home from a trip (on Friday, 7/12),  and are leaving again for another trip!!!!! Life is full of all kinds of emotions these days..    Our yard has been so pretty this summer  (until the deer and Japanese beetles visit)..  BUT--I'll share some of our Summer photos so far around the yard

We took a short trip to  the Mammoth Cave National Park to see our good friends,  Neal and Patti.  Most people go to Mammoth Cave to hike down into the caves..  We have done that and love doing it.  BUT--there's a lot more to see in the National Park there.

The four of us enjoyed driving on all of the unpaved back roads in the woods in that area.   GORGEOUS!!!!!!  We stopped and checked out many little churches and lots of old cemeteries..   Most of the little churches were built in the 1800's...   SO interesting to think about the history of that area.  It reminded me of both Cataloochee and  Cades Cove  (but more rustic).   We had such a wonderful couple of days!!!!

The SADNESS I mentioned in my title is because George lost his brother  (2 years younger) on July 9.   Ken had been suffering from Leukemia for about 2 years.  He fought the good fight --but the cancer finally won the war.   George and Ken talked on the phone every Sunday night at 7:00 (ON THE DOT)...   George already misses him so much --but knows that he is out-of-pain and is with God.

We got home from our Mammoth Cave trip on Friday,  washed clothes,  re-packed and left Saturday for the visitation (on Sunday) and the funeral (on Monday).    Talk about a BUSY life ---but as I said, a blessed one.  Prayers please for Ken's family --and prayers for family members who are driving to Indiana.

Hope you enjoy seeing my photos and collages today...  IF you want to know what a specific flower is,  please ask.   I wanted to put the names in --but ran out of time.... 


YARD  (Summer 2018) 



DAY LILIES  (Summer,  2018)



ROSES--   Summer, 2018



Our wonderful FRIENDS,   Patti and Neal  (July 12, 2018)



KENNETH RAY ADAMS
July 6, 1944----  July 9, 2018



ADAMS' SIBLINGS:   George,  Janet,  Ken  (2009)



Ken and his beautiful wife,  Bonnie,  at our wedding --in 2001

I hope that all of you will have a great week.   I will respond to your posts once we get home and life settles down a little.

Much Love to ALL,