From My Week - Saturday Sightings...

I had the pleasure of spending time in a very scenic mountain

 region this week.  The morning was foggy...

But when the sun came out - what a view! 

This young lady happened to walk into my photo shoot - love it!

There was even a small covered bridge... 

Tis the season for visiting pumpkin farms...

And last - I was near a friend's house one morning so drove past 

& snapped a picture of her recently built backyard barn.  

Is it not just perfect?

Enjoy your surroundings today friends - whatever they may be!

  ~Joyce

A Canal Park - Saturday Sightings...

Took a little walk in a park... with a historical canal in its midst.

Enjoy...

Can you see the other end of the tunnel?

Saved my favorite for last...

I see the approach of autumn in these photos.  

What a blessing to have the gift of life to witness it!  ~Joyce

Lunch Special & Sign of Fall - Saturday Sightings...

I can tell Fall is in the air.  Big Bad Black Dog has begun 

to make use of her back porch sofa again.  

She hasn't been on it all summer! 

And speaking of dogs - spotted this cutey at an art show this week.

  Isn't he sumthin'?

And from that same art show in our beloved Mt. Gretna - they 
of course had emergency personnel on hand.  I liked this scene...

But most 'fun' is this sign we pass on a regular basis at a gas station.

  Seriously - anybody heading in there for lunch?
(sorry - it's zoomed pretty hard...)

Can't believe no one has pointed out that they should rearrange it a bit.  :)  

But makes for a good chuckle.

Keep smiling today!  ~Joyce

My Saturday Sighting Becomes A Milestone Moment...

Out and about at yet more yard sales this AM - I spotted this...

I hurried past thinking I'll get some of that 25 cents-an-ear

 corn on my way back... just enough for lunch.

Upon stopping I noticed the sign said 25 cents a dozen!  What?

 

A quick chat with the owner & I soon learned there was nothing amiss.  

She was simply well supplied and wanted someone else to benefit

 from her 'leftovers'.  Oh my!  Now anyone else who has no corn in

 their freezer would have surely taken most all that was there at this price.  

But you see - at 53 years old - I have never 'done up' corn by myself.  

My story in brief... 

I have a rare neuro arm disease that started when I was 16. 

There have been many things over the years that I haven't and

couldn't do.   Definitely not corn.  We have simply done without

 except what people have given us at times.  But my arms have improved 

in the last while and today I found myself wondering if I might now 

be well enough to give corn a whirl.  My Love assured he'd help if needed.

So I got a few dozen and we husked, cooked, cooled...

dried...

and the hard part for me... cut corn.  About 3 1/2 dozen.

Let's just say I cried some happy tears today. I did corn!  

And I did it all myself - except for help with husking.

 Granted - I didn't do a lot... but enough that now if I want to make

  baked corn - I'll actually have something to make it with.  

Cause we all know - baked corn with store bought corn just isn't the same.  

I'm just a little giddy and think I smiled through the whole process.

  I've been offering prayers of thanksgiving for sure.

Thanks for rejoicing with me!  ~Joyce

100 Miles of Rural America, Wildlife and Yard Sales...

What a delightful weekend... the perfect mix for My Love and I. 

  Pennsylvania hosted their annual 100 mile yard sale over 2 days -

 traversing remote roads and villages with lots of wildlife sightings in between.   

This picture says it all - see those mountains?  They were a constant!  

See that yard sale - also a constant!   

(And this house has plans to be turned into a bed & breakfast

 within the next 6 months - yippee!) 

We were adventurous and took 'big bad black dog' along. 

She did great while we were 'on the road'... not so great at the campsite.  

(She doesn't 'play well with others' - just not a nice 'people' dog.)

  But we survived as campsite time was minimal this go-round.

The mountain regions in PA are just beautiful...

...with lots and lots of cabins and camps...

We supported the local firehouses along the way for lunch and snacks...

And were honored to get to some great properties...

 My love had the time of his life shooting wildlife.  

Can't wait to see his pics!  Can you tell what he's shooting here?

Did I mention the small, small villages?

And sweet mountain churches?

This is some of the goods - mostly smalls - that came home with us. 

That flower (dianthus) is real and I had been wanting one- so happy!

So was it worth the trip?  A thousand times yes!  Perhaps not in

 miles vs. goods.  But in sightings and experiences - many times over!  

For more pictures - visit my Quilted Nest Facebook page 

(and follow me - you'll make my day!)  ~Joyce

Time In a Cemetery - Saturday Sightings...

The passage of time - we're all caught in it.  But today - 

time stopped for a bit as we said good-bye to a beloved aunt.  

The sweet service was held in the church of my childhood...

  

With a cemetery just a short walk up the hill away...

Out of 17 siblings - about half remain.  Most of these were 

present today to honor her.  It was a time of precious memories.

  She lived life to the full... enjoying crafting, laughing, and people.

  

We know that her soul's been carried to heaven - 

but today we committed her body to the earth

 My uncle (in the hat) was perhaps the brother dearest to her.  

He has cared for her in countless ways over these last years.  

I love how my cousin is keeping an eye of care on him during this sacred moment..

There is much to reflect on in a cemetery.  

One day these bodies will rise again upon Christ's return. 

Before leaving - a final stop to the grave of my parents.

I ached for them to be there today...  So much I wanted to say.

But when I see them again - much of that won't matter as 

we'll be in the presence of Jesus and in the glory of heaven.   

My friends - please make sure you are ready to join us there.  

In addition to knowing Jesus - we must also be following Him - 

in full surrender - to His will and Word.

I promise any sacrifice will be more than worth it.  ~Joyce

Unusual Landscaping - a Saturday Sighting...

 Perusing a very typical middle class American development 

this AM for garage sales (yes - another rainy Saturday)...

 ...brought a bit of a surprise!  

Turns out we all see landscaping a bit differently :)

 There you go you car buffs.  No need to let that old car die rejected

 and alone.  Give it some end-of-life dignity in your flower beds.

Happy Saturday everyone!  ~Joyce

Old Farms & Country Saturday Sightings...

It's Saturday and cloudy - but not nearly as cold as the past 

two weeks (see here & here).  I went to just a few yard sales today.

I love this area where I live and realize I am extremely blessed

 to be able to get out and enjoy it.

As fun for me as the yard sales themselves are the sightings 

along the way.  Stopping at a sale allows an up-close look and

 photo opp for things I'd otherwise be zooming past in my car.  

Isn't this stone wall amazing?  

The forsythia bush is just coming to life... 

And I walked by a weathered barn with the neatest doors and windows 

way up high!  Not sure what good those doors did way up there - 

but a fun discovery...

In our area there have been quite a few run-down properties 

that have been sold and remodeled to gorgeous proportions.  

Today I happened upon one in it's 'before' state.  

Oh the potential...

Is this barn amazing or what?

 May I encourage you to slow down and enjoy your surroundings too?  

A blessed Easter weekend to you!  ~Joyce