Welcome to JOYFUL REFLECTIONS. Also welcome to OCTOBER. Hope you have an awesome month!

Wednesday, October 27, 2021

Mark and Robin's Wedding 10/23/21

Hello Blog Friends,  As you can see from the title,  there was an awesome wedding this past Saturday.  Son Mark and Robin got married!!!  The wedding was absolutely beautiful.  It was held at the Red Gate Farm in Friendsville, Tennessee for about 40 guests, beginning at 4 pm.  This Mama of the Groom was SO excited --and it was one of best weddings I've ever been to in every respect... 

Both Mark and Robin are in their 50's --- so they wanted to have a wedding made perfect by and for them.  I call it a "Mark-Robin Wedding" in every respect.  It was informal (so many of the guests even wore cowboy boots, including the bride)!!

The setting was awesome.  It truly was  a gorgeous farm setting on an amazing Fall Day.  And the flowers/decorations/picture/posters made the setting even more beautiful, using the theme throughout with a color scheme of oranges and teals. I loved the sunflowers!!!

I have tons of pictures including many of the beautiful Fall setting,  and at the reception following the ceremony. The reception was a fantastic BBQ Dinner with all of the trimmings...Following that was the dance.  Most of us 'oldies' left a little early --but the dance went on!!!!

Today I picked out just a few pictures to share.. Hope you enjoy them!!!  My Joy was seeing all of the love and happiness in these two 'kids'...May they have many more years of this special love including many adventures together--while sitting by the campfire and eating S'mores (especially when Mom is there).


Meet Mr. and Mrs.  Mark Wilhite - October 23, 2021


An example of all of the beautiful posters throughout the venue


The Mother of the Groom --excited to be heading to the wedding


Another view showing the perfect setting for a wedding; See the water??? SO peaceful!

Anticipation!!!  Waiting for that beautiful woman to come down the isle!!


There she comes being escorted by her two handsome sons,  Joey and Zach.


I wonder if Pastor Justice is asking Robin if she is sure of this???  ha ha

Mark and Robin ALWAYS find time to laugh!!!!   Wonder what she said????


Robin and Mark wrote their own vows


Mark had a hard time getting through his vows. He is emotional --like his Mom!!!


He put a ring on her finger!


She put a ring on his finger!


Introducing  Mr. and Mrs.  Mark Wilhite


Now you may KISS the BRIDE


They did it!!!!!! 


Later,  after dinner,  we had the Mom/Son dance!  Mom is crying again!!


The Bride's Cake


The Groom's Cake


Read the quote!!!  NO EXPLANATION needed!!! ha ha


Mark and his Brothers, Jeff and Bert.  Best Friends Forever!!!


Another love of Mark's life,  one of his adorable Granddaughters,  Vivian Lee

Hope you enjoyed the pictures... It was truly a marvelous wedding!  I dedicate this post to Mark and Robin... I love you both so very much!!!

Hugs,

Betsy💝💛💚💕



Monday, October 11, 2021

Fall Blooms in our Yard 2021

 Dear Blog Friends,  Fall/Autumn is one of my favorite seasons...  Here in our area of the USA,  the changing colors and falling of leaves is happening very late this year.   In fact,  the Dogwoods (pictured below) are about the only Fall Colors we have so far... We've had a very warm Fall so far--and the trees need some colder weather to make those colors happen.  I told George that we'd be picking up leaves at Christmastime this year!!!!! ha    If and when we get some pretty colors like the picture in my header from another year,  I'll post again.

The warmer weather does keep the ROSES and our re-blooming IRISES showing off their colors  --along with some other blooms we are enjoying...SO--today I'll share with you some of these beauties...  The ROSES are looking pretty --but that will be another post.   ENJOY!!!


Our Pink Dogwood showing off its FALL COLORS



Gerbera DAISY



Immortality IRIS



My Friend Jonathan IRIS



Our Beautiful CLEMATIS



Another Gerbera DAISY



This amazing Fall Reblooming IRIS is named  Harvest of Memories.



IRIS named Anxious



Similar but different; Meet Clarence IRIS


Hope you enjoyed seeing some of the 'pretties' in our yard.  Most all of these pictures were taken in OCTOBER,  2021, with only a couple in late September. 

Thank You for your kind words in my last couple of posts... It's wonderful to hear from you --and thank you for continuing to  visit my Blog even though I haven't posted much lately due to my accident...

I'm doing good.  My wrist is healing nicely.  I do finally have an appointment with an ENT Doctor this coming Thursday (TWO  MONTHS after our accident)....  I still have hearing loss due to the airbags --but am not sure what they can do to help me..  We shall see!!!!!

I'm still waiting to hear from my referral to see a Neurologist --and am waiting to hear back from them with an appointment....???????

I'll keep you posted -so please continue to pray for me through all of the waiting...

God's Blessings.

Hugs,

Betsy💝💛💚💕

Monday, October 4, 2021

Septembers Through the Years!


Dear Blog Friends,    It's been awhile since I wrote...If  you read my last post,  you'll know that we had a car accident on August 15.    I broke my right wrist and jammed some fingers in my right hand.  That has prevented me from doing much writing or typing... I've tried to use Siri but she doesn't understand my southern drawl!!!  ha...  

If you are on Facebook then you have kept up with my progress...  Overall,  I am NOW doing well except for some problems with my hearing (due to the airbags), and also some neuropathy problems.  My wrist is mending nicely.  I only had to wear the hard cast for 5 weeks and a velcro brace for 1-2 weeks.  I still wear it off and on --and am doing my exercises to strengthen that wrist.  

I will admit that I had a hard time for a couple of weeks,  mostly emotionally.   BUT--with the love, attention and help from God, George, Family and many Friends,  I pulled myself together and have been back to my old 'positive' self again.

The next step for me is to see an ENT doctor to check my ears/hearing...  I have that appointment now--scheduled finally for Oct. 14.... BABY STEPS!!!! PATIENCE, Betsy!!!!!! ha

I can now type again ---so I'M BACK!!!!!    Today's Post is one I had a great time working on.  I was looking back at past Septembers to see what we did!!!!  I had fun-fun-fun choosing some of our favorite trips/pictures to share with you today...   George and I have been blessed with quite a lot of traveling for the past 15+ years... I hope you enjoy seeing some of these great memories.. 

 
From the lodge at Pine Mountain State Park,  KENTUCKY  --September 2010



Train Ride at Cass Railroad,  WEST VIRGINIA -- September 2011



Mount Rushmore in SOUTH DAKOTA-- September 2012



                        A Ride on the Schooner Alliance,  Yorktown, VIRGINIA--  September 2013



We hiked to the top of Sharp Top Mountain,  Peaks of Otter,  VIRGINIA--September 2016



Beautiful ZION National Park,  UTAH  ---Sept.  2017


Lower Falls of the Yellowstone; Yellowstone National Park,  WYOMING --Sept. 2012


We drove over Beartooth Mountain,  MONTANA-- Sept 2018




Schwaubacher Landing, Grand Teton National Park,  WYOMING --Sept 2018


Looking toward Pikes Peak, near Colorado Springs, COLORADO in the Rocky Mountains-- Sept 2012


Oh the memories!!!!   I tried to pull out pictures from several different states...  Someone asked me:  What are your favorite places on this list???   Well--that's hard since I loved them all.   However,  the places I would love to visit again (over and over) are:  the TETONS and Cass Railroad.   George would love to go on the Schooner Alliance in Yorktown since he LOVES "Tall Ships".....

My advice to all of you:  Get out now when you can and TRAVEL.... I'm so blessed to have been to all of these places --and many more!!!!

Hugs,

Betsy💝💛💚💕