Tell Me Thursday

Welcome to Tell Me Thursday! Where I give you the story behind my Wordless Wednesday post. This picture actually has a title. It's What's That Smell?



Back in 1993, my ex and I took my two sons on vacation to Glacier National Park. While we were there, we spent a few nights back packing in the Nyack Wilderness. This trip was one of the hardest we had ever done. It rained most of the time and the trails are unmaintained so simply hiking can be a chore. Hiking with a pack on your back and keeping a watch out for grizzlies even more so. One morning when we were leaving the camp site and heading to the next one, we noticed a very large bear track in the mud. Uhh... I think that's close enough for me.

In the Nyack, you have to hang your food in bear bags on a line between two trees so bears won't get into it and become accustomed to going near humans for an easy meal. The out houses at the camp sites have no "house," they are just "outs." Meaning it's the seat part only. This is done to keep animals from moving in for the shelter. To compensate for the lack of privacy, the view is beautiful. One "out" looked out across a lake with a mountain on the far end and a water fall spilling down the side of it. Who needs a newspaper? When we finally got to the car after four nights out, all of us took off our hiking boots and wet socks and just threw them into the back of the car. We were tired and hungry and ready to be done.

The day we came out, we headed to a local resturant that also provided services to thru hikers on the Continental Divide Trail and ate our selves silly. Our waitress was also part owner of the resturant and was amazed to learn that we had just spent four nights in the Nyack. She told us their cook (who had completed the Continental Divide trail) spent one night in the Nyack and decided it was too hard core for him. Hearing that, we decided that we were tough! Really tough! Bad ass tough! It was a hard hike but I'm glad we did it. It gave my sons an opportunity to see what they were made of. I keep this picture like a trophy of our accomplishment. We still talk about it and laugh.

If you would like to read more Tell Me Thursday Stories from Wordless Wednesday participants, go Here.

Wordless Wednesday

Tell Me Thursday

Yesterday's Wordless Wednesday picture day was one I took in front of a house I used to live in. I had planted marigolds on either side of the steps leading up to our front door. After the first year, I let the flowers go to seed so that I wouldn't have to replant the following year. This little plant came up in the crack in front of the steps leading up to the front porch. It was right in the middle of the walkway. I was so impressed by it's ability to grow there, that I decided to leave it as a reminder to me of how resilient we all can be. To my amazement, no one ever disturbed it, or stepped on it. Not even the letter carrier came close. Not only that, another marigold plant grew in the crack the following year.

Tell Me Thursday

Welcome to this weeks Tell Me Thursday. Where I explain yesterday's Wordless Wednesday Picture.

This picture was taken several years ago on the Great Ohio Bike Adventure (GOBA) sorry to say the raccoon was road kill. It was a particularly hot day and all of the safety staff were reminding us at every turn to drink plenty of water. Someone saw this raccoon along side the road we were riding on and though it would be funny to leave his/her water bottle in the raccoons paws.

Every one was cracking up when we rode past. Funniest part was this was at the bottom of a long steep uphill. We were all laughing so hard, we couldn't pedal ourselves up the hill. Many just gave up (me included) and walked our bikes up the hill, giggling the whole way.

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Tell Me Thursday

Here is the explanation for yesterday's Wordless Wednesday. As I wrote yesterday, those two pictures are related. The link is the scuffed up shoes. I have always been unreasonably fond of old, broken in, scuffed up shoes. Until recently, I couldn't explain why. I just enjoyed the sight of them as I put them on in the morning and tied the laces.

At my birthday party last year, my mother created a poster board display with pictures of me through my childhood and among them was the other picture you saw in yesterday's post. On the left, you will see my mother's shoes sticking into the picture. They're old, broken in and just a little scuffed up.

I love this picture of me because it always made me feel special to my mother. The idea that she thought so much of me as a baby, that she climbed up on a chair to take a picture of me. This picture, more than any of the others, gives me a sense of belonging. I am my mother's daughter, I am part of a family and I am loved. When I look at this picture, I sense that I delighted my mother as a child and so when I see my scuffed up shoes, that sense resonates in me a new.

I've been through many pairs of old scuffed up shoes and have a terrible time letting go of them when it is time. Always wanting to wait until the new shoes are worn before throwing away the old ones.

I came to this realization some months ago and held on to the knowledge of it, keeping it to my self for just a bit longer. It was my special secret that I am now choosing to share with you in the hopes that you will tell me what you have that reminds you that you are special to someone.

Tell Me Thursday

Yesterday was my first Wordless Wednesday Post. It's easy to participate, just create a post on Wednesday's of a picture.

Tell Me Thursday is where we get to talk about our Wordless Wednesday Post.

So, here it is. Yesterday's picture is one of me (one the right) with my older brother Tommy on Christmas morning. I love this picture. It's classic 50's - 60's Christmas. One of the strongest memories I have from Christmas as a child are the mixed smells of plastic and pine. As the years moved on, my parents produced even more kids (6 in all) that really created a strong scent of plastic on Christmas morning what with all those toys.

I miss those oversized tree lights and the glow they created. I also miss the tinsel. I think the next time I have a tree, I'm going to go "Old School."

Oh, like the obligatory cowboy hat my brother is wearing?