Bluebirds and Butterflies

"Those are the ties that bind...."

Reflections.....

I posted my Thanksgiving photos on my blog yesterday and was visiting some of my blog friends to see the beautiful Thanksgiving photos they posted.   Everyone seemed to have a great holiday with their loved ones and pets.  

(Our beloved Maltese, Sadie Mae, on her little leopard cushion relaxing...)

As I was visiting the blogs, I was struck by the contrast between the very large families and the very small families.  Some bloggers posted photos of a very elaborate Thanksgiving with formal china and beautiful tablescapes, and some friends had a very casual affair.  There were some who ate with friends and some who were maybe eating at a hospital or nursing home with someone they love.   A few folks, like my husband, son and I, went out to a favorite restaurant or resort.  Sadly, I am sure there were some people who were eating a Thanksgiving dinner alone.  :(   

(Resident kitty at the Alderbrook Resort....which I am sure had lots of pats and love on Thanksgiving Day...)

As I was looking at the different blog postings, I thought about my own history of Thanksgivings past....  I remembered my Thanksgivings with my family when I was a little girl.  Each year, we would go to my grandmother and grandfather's home in Winter Haven.    I thought about celebrating Thanksgiving when my children were little.   I reflected on Thanksgivings spent as a big group at my parents house when they were still alive and later my Aunt's home in Kissimmmee, Florida.  I thought about the times when my sister cooked Thanksgiving dinner early and had friends and family over when we lived in Houston, Texas.  She was a flight attendant and had to fly on Thanksgiving Day so she made Thanksgiving dinner a few days before the actual holiday.  I thought about the times that I have had Thanksgiving for the family at my house....especially in the last few years that my parents were alive.   I enjoyed decorating my table with fall flowers and using the china my grandmother gave me when I was 18 years old that I have kept all these years.   My parents, brother and sister-in-law, aunt and their families would join us.

After moving to Washington State, we teamed up with our friends, the Gibson family, to do a "destination Thanksgiving together."   One of my favorite Thanksgivings was the one where we rented a vacation home together called the "Castle" in Arch Cape, Oregon, near Cannon Beach...   We had a great time that year walking the beach exploring and making campfires on the beach in the evening together.   We played games, learned to knit, read, watched movies and had a delicious Thanksgiving dinner.  Everyone contributed their special dish for the dinner, and the vacation home had a table large enough to accomodate everyone in our family that attended. 

For the past couple of years, my husband, son and I have celebrated Thanksgiving together at the Alderbrook Resort/Lodge which we love.  You can view the photos from our Thanksgiving there in a previous posting.  The Alderbrook is a beautiful place at holiday time, and we enjoy spending time there together on Thanksgiving.  Since it is has just been the three of us for Thanksgiving over the past couple of years, it has been more intimate but nonetheless.....very special and filled with love and gratitude for all the blessings in our lives.  

As I am reflecting on the many variations of Thanksgiving and seeing the different sizes of families and the many ways that people celebrate, I am reminded of the ending of a movie......Mrs. Doubtfire.....where Robin Williams speaks about the many different family settings to a child.    I think what made me think of this is the fact that I am very aware at holiday time, that I have loved ones missing from my family.   Of course, Robin Williams is speaking about the fact that the little girl's family is divorced, but I think that this applies to all of us because we all have loved ones who are not with us.....no matter whether they are far apart in distance or gone on to live in Heaven.   Here are the lines from the movie.....

  "Dear Mrs Doubtfiire - Two months ago my mom and dad decided to separate." "Now they live in different houses." "My brother Andrew says that we aren't a realfamily any more. Is this true?" "Did I lose my family?" "Is there anything I could do to get my parents back together?" "Sincerely, Katie McCormick." Oh, my dear Katie. You know, some parents get along much better when they don't live together. They don't fight all the time and they can become better people. Much better mommies and daddies for you. And sometimes they get back together. And sometimes they don't, dear. And if they don't, don't blame yourself. Just because they don't love each other doesn't mean that they don't love you. There are all sorts of different families, Katie. Some families have one mommy, some families have one daddy, or two families. Some children live with their uncle or aunt. Some live with their grandparents, and some children live with foster parents. Some live in separate homes and neighbourhoods in different areas of the country. They may not see each other for days, weeks, months or even years at a time. But if there's love, dear, those are the ties that bind. And you'll have a family in your heart for ever. All my love to you, poppet. You're going to be all right. Bye-bye."

The last part, where he says......"But if there's love, dear, those are the ties that bind.  And you will have a family in your heart forever" really came to mind over the past couple of days that I have been catching up on the holiday postings of my blog friends.  No matter how large or small your family is.....or who is missing from your celebration.....if there is love.....those are truly the ties that bind.   It is not the Thanksgiving dinner or how you spend the day that matters......what matters is the love in the heart.....   Those that we love are always with us and present in our hearts, and they are our blessings and truly what Thanksgiving is about.   Happy upcoming holidays to each of you! 

In remembrance of my beloved parents.....and all my loved ones celebrating holidays far away.   We are always together....for you are always here in my heart.  

I love you! xoxo Kim

Have a beautiful day today! xoxo Kim

My necklace from Simple Daisy

 Late yesterday afternoon, my husband and I attended our Yoga class at Well-Being Yoga which is located near our home.  We got to our class a little early and decided to take a walk in the beautiful weather over to the nearby Post Office.  We had a little time on our hands, and I wanted to check on our mail.   I feel so blessed in our little community that everything is just a short walk away.... This is one of the main reasons we moved to Poulsbo!   We can walk to--not only our yoga studio or the post office--but also down to the waterfront in no time at all...

When we arrived at our post office, I opened our mail box to find a small envelope package among the mail.   Don't you love receiving a package?  I know I do!   Especially when you know it is something fun!

If you have been following my blog, you know that I grew up in Florida around the beach...

and that my husband and I live in a little Norwegian town near Seattle...

You also know that our home is just a short walk from Liberty Bay...

And, lastly, you know that we have a Catalina sailboat named "Skye" which is moored on Liberty Bay...

My husband loves nothing more than spending time on the boat!   Here is a photo of Sadie and I on a sail.  Notice she has a little lifejacket, too!  Gotta protect those you love! xoxo

I think my husband is happiest when he is near the water and sailing...

We love taking our family on Skye when they visit...   Here is a photo of my older son, Brandon, my husband, and I with a beautiful Northwest sunset.  My son was visiting us from Houston where he now lives...

 We have seen some beautiful sunsets on Liberty Bay...

 

Sometimes, we cook out on the boat...

Here is a photo of my younger son, Elliott, relaxing in the cabin.  My husband loves  for us to spend the night on Skye...

Here is a photo of Brandon with his fiance, Amy, celebrating the 4th of July with us on Skye.   They are engaged to be married in November.  We are so happy to have a wedding in the future.  We think Brandon and Amy are perfect for each other...

I love this photo of my step-daughter, Ashley, and grand-daughter, Brenna.  We took them sailing when they visited from Florida together.  Ashley did a great job helping to sail the boat that day!  Brenna really enjoyed her day...

On another occasion, my sister, Jeri, visited from Florida, too.  Of course, we had to take her sailing one day, too!

Most of the time, my dear husband and I sail together...just the two of us.   Oh, and, of course, we bring Miss Sadie Mae....

I hope you enjoyed the previous photos.  We have had so many great times walking down to Liberty Bay and sailing.   Our sailboat is very special to us.  I purchased "Skye" right after my father passed away in August of 2008.  My father had a lifelong passion for fishing.  Sadly, due to advanced parkinsons disease, he had never been able to visit us after we moved from Florida to the Seattle area.   However, Dad knew a lot about the area from the things I would tell him and from photos.  He knew that we had a lot of water around us...Dyes Inlet, Liberty Bay and the Puget Sound.  Loving fishing and boats, he always thought we should get one.  As you may know,  I lost my Mother in June and my Father in August of 2008.  After my Dad passed, I had a feeling in my heart that I should look for a sailboat.  I knew my Dad would be happy that we had a boat.  The whole process of searching for and buying a sailboat was a healing thing for me....  You can understand why I nicknamed our boat, "Skye - The Lillie-James" in honor of my parents...James and Lillie ("Lil") Thompson.  The next photo shows my Dad fishing....something he adored.  Even though he had parkinsons disease and it was difficult to climb in and out of his boat as his disease progressed, he continued to go fishing on occasion--thanks to his friend, Bill.  My Dad would tell me many times..."Bill is my very best friend."   (Thank you, Bill, for helping my Dad to continue his passion for fishing.  Without you, this would have been impossible for Dad.)

After reading what I have already posted today, you will totally understand why I was excited to get my package at the post office.   Inside the box was a special necklace designed and made just for me by one of my fellow blogging friends, Heather of Simple Daisy.    When, I opened the package, there was a little box.  Heather had tied the box together with some jute and had attached a cute little shell.   A cute presentation..

Inside the box, was my necklace that Heather created.   The necklace has special meaning to me because it has three charms on it.   The first one, is an anchor which makes me think of our sailboat, "Skye - the Lillie-James."  It also makes me think of my Dad (who loved fishing) and my husband who spent many years in the Navy.   The second charm is a turquoise seafoam blue droplet which makes me think of the beach in Florida where I grew up.   Thinking of the beach brings back memories of trips to Playalinda Beach with my family when I was a child.  It also makes me think of when my husband and I were dating in high school.  He was a surfer, and we spent a lot of afternoons on the beach together.  Finally, the third charm is a round silver disk which has some numbers on it.   These numbers are the nautical coordinates for Liberty Bay where our sailboat is moored.   Here is a close-up of my necklace...

How special is that!  Even the little little blue card that holds the necklace makes me think of the ocean or sea...  The edges remind me of waves...

Of course, I had to try the necklace on immediately!

Here is a close-up of the necklace on me...

I love items that have special meaning.   Don't you?   Heather, the necklace is beautiful and perfect!   I also love the fact that you created it yourself and just for me.   I will wear the necklace often and will post a photo of me wearing it on a future sail...  :) 


If you would like to visit Heather's blog, Simple Daisy, or see more of the jewelry she creates, please visit her at Simple Daisy     Here is a photo of Heather on the beach which she posted today.   As you can tell, she loves the beach, too! :)

If you visit Heather at Simple Daisy and comment, be sure and tell her that I sent you and say hello for me!   Sending warm wishes to you today and, as always, hoping you have a beautiful day! xoxo Kim

Sunflowers brighten my day...

Yesterday, I visited my favorite local market...where they  not only have great whole foods but also beautiful flowers.  

Sunflowers...like daisies...are such happy flowers...

They bring to mind wonderful places like Italy...  Did I tell you my older son is going there next week for a wedding?  I cannot wait to see all the beautiful photos he will take!  No doubt, there will be some sunflowers...

My favorite place to see sunflowers, is in a kitchen...   So, I took  my flowers home and put them into a tall Mason jar.  There is something so pretty and welcoming about sunflowers in a blue glass Mason jar...

I happily arranged them in my Mason jar and put them on the island in my kitchen where I can enjoy them...

I love how the clear blue color of the jar looks with the yellow of the sunflowers...  so simple, but so pretty...

Sometimes, the most simple things in life bring us the most pleasure...

What brightens your day?  

I hope your day today is sunny and bright...  

No matter what the weather is where you live today... keep that sunshine there in your heart...

Have a beautiful weekend...

Thank you for visiting my blog today... YOU brighten my day!   Happy Saturday! xoxo Kim

"Keep your face to the sunshine
and you cannot see the shadow.
It's what sunflowers do."
by Helen Keller

Here is a sunflower poem just for YOU:

GARDEN OF SUNFLOWERS

A garden of Sunflower beckoned to me -
Come join us, my lady, and joyous you'll be!

We're large ones and small ones, some dainty and fair,
And even some delicate to wear in your hair.

We follow the sun, swaying slowly without a care,
We have a new dance that with you we will share.

Gently hold onto our leaves, allow us to lead the way,
To our Sunflower two-step, dancing throughout the day.

I couldn't resist them, so dandy a sight!
So off I did go in my Sunflower flight.

What a glorious time, right up til twilight,
And then I had to bid my Sunflowers good-night.

So happy were we, a long day filled with fun,
Upon leaving I kissed them, each and every one.

So tender the moment, as I turned to leave.
With eyes brimmed with tears, could I truly believe?

OH! It was so true!! I then knew it to be!!!
I had to smile, 'cause they were all winking at me!!!!

~Author Unknown~

A note from me to you...

Thank you so much for visiting my blog today.   I read and respond to every comment I receive on my blog.  You and your thoughts are very important to me.  I also appreciate each and every follower who saw something in my blog that they could relate to and clicked the "follow me" link on the sidebar.  Thank you for making me a part of your life...   I love each and every one of my readers.  Have a beautiful day...  xoxo Kim

I have a playlist of music to the right of my blog on the sidebar.  If the music doesn't begin to play, click on the play button to start the music.  Enjoy! ---- Scroll down to read today's posting on my blog:

xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxox

Sunsets from our balcony

Don't you love a beautiful sunset?   Everyone is different....

My husband and I love to sit on our upstairs balcony in the late afternoon and enjoy a nice cup of coffee or glass of merlot wine.    Our balcony looks down to the marina where our sailboat is moored on Liberty Bay.   It also has a view of the Olympic Mountain Range.  

On a clear day, the Olympic Mountain Range is very pretty....

The mountains are still covered with snow in the spring...

The sunsets in the Northwest are so beautiful....the sky sometimes turns pink or purple...

No matter how many sunset photos I make, no two are really alike...

Sometimes, it is nice to relax, be still, and enjoy the beauty around us...

There is nothing more awesome than the beauty God gives us...   Many times, we are just too busy with the details of life to take the time to appreciate it....

Our details of life will always be there.... but the bloom of a flower or the beauty of a sunset, sunrise or rainbow will not wait.  There is something very healing about nature....something very therapeutic...

Miss Sadie Mae and I send you greetings today from our balcony.   Take time to enjoy the beauty around you today....our chores and details will always be there....but the sunset will not wait....   Have a very beautiful day! xoxo  Kim and Sadie Mae 

Watching the Space Shuttle....our little piece of history

My parents moved to this little home in Titusville, Florida, around 1958.  I'm telling my age, but I was 4 years old at the time.  Titusville is located in Brevard County which is nicknamed "the Space Coast" because it is located very near Cape Canaveral aka Kennedy Space Center.   My Dad, like many fathers in the area, worked at the Space Center for Lockheed.   If you have seen the Apollo 13 movie with Tom Hanks, you have a pretty good picture of what it was like in the early days in our area.   Astronauts were like rockstars in those days....they were given corvettes to drive at a time that few people drove them and lived lavish lives.   It was an exciting time in our history as the early launches were sailing off and dissappearing into the clouds. 

 
It seemed that many of the early launches happened at night.  I can remember watching the countdown from the control room on our black and white television.   When the launch was "a go" and we heard the voice in the control room countdown "5, 4, 3, 2, 1 and lift off,"  we would head out to our front driveways and stand looking in the direction of the launchpad across the Indian River.   At that time, everyone in the neighborhood would walk outside their homes and look up into the dark sky.   Most of us were in our pajamas and robes.  Suddenly, we would see a ball of light start coming up from behind the trees, and the sky would begin to light up in that area.  The rumble would begin and you could hear all the windows in our homes shaking.  I live in the Northwest, but have never been (thankfully) through an earthquake.  I imagine that this is what a small earthquake would sound and feel like.  As the rumbling continued, you could see the small ball of light in the sky start to climb upwards.   As the missile launched off and became visible, you would hear people cheer and clap.   Everyone would stand  on their driveways, dressed in their robes, looking up and watching the missile heading  up to the heavens  until it was a tiny speck in the sky.  Afterwards,  the large vapor trail would be left behind. 

I watched many launches with my family from the front yard of this home that you see in the photos...my parents' home...

I watched the first man walk on the moon from the black and white television inside this home....


My Father was in the Air Force prior to working for Lockheed.   Although I was born in Florida, my Father started working for Lockheed not long after I was born.  He began his career in Marietta, Georgia.  After living in Georgia for a while, our family relocated back to Florida.  My parents moved our family into the little home you see in the photos.  At the time we moved into this home, it was a brand new home.  We watched many of the homes around us being built.  My Dad continued to work at the Space Center for Lockheed, which later became Lockheed-Martin, until the day he retired.  I am proud of the fact that my Father spent his career helping to put men into space.   He worked on many projects during his career and sometimes travelled to California on short trips to work on projects there.  He received many awards and pins during his service.   When you see the  way Tom Hanks and the other actors dressed in the Apollo 13 movie, you are seeing my Dad.   I have such memories of seeing my Dad head off to work in his collared plaid short sleeve shirt with a pocket, his crew cut haircut and black rimmed glasses.  All the men carried those grey or black metal lunch boxes in those days.   My Mother woke up early every morning to make his lunch for him and see  him off for work.  Like most women in those days, my Mother did not work and was a homemaker.   I was always happy to see my Mother when I arrived home from school.   She was a wonderful Mom and her family was her life.  

My parents lived in this home in Brevard County, Florida, until the day that they died.   My Mother passed away in June of 2008, and my Dad passed away in August of the same year.  Both my parents passed away at home with children at their side.   I was lucky enough to be able to be able to tell both my parents how much I loved them before they passed away.   I am happy that both my sons got to spend a lot of time growing up around their grandparents and really got to know them.  They were familiar with the same little house that I grew up in as a child.   In today's world, people relocate a lot, and this is a rarity.  

 

 

All the photos that you see in this posting of the launches, were made less than a month before my Dad passed away in August of 2008.  My Dad had been battling parkinsons disease for quite some time.  On the day of this shuttle launch, my brother and sister-in-law, my sister, my dad and I went out onto the driveway to watch this launch.   This would be the last launch that we would ever watch together with my Dad.   This was the last launch my Dad would ever see... 

As you can see, the sky was very blue and beautiful on the day of this launch.   My sister, brother and I decided to stand out in front of our childhood home for a photograph together.    We didn't realize it at the time, but this would be our last picture together in front of our childhood home.    I am so happy that we decided to make this photo.   We are all very casually dressed because we had been working at the home that day and caring for our Dad.    My sister is on the left of our brother and I am on the right.   You can see the vapor trail above the home.   I would like to mention, at this time, that my brother's career also has involved working on the Space Shuttle.   My husband retired a few years ago as an Officer in the Navy and now works for Lockheed-Martin in  Washington State.   I am proud of the fact that all of the men in my life have been a part of history and that my two sons have gone into the math and science field. 

What wonderful memories were made growing up in this small home.   The little Space Coast beach town has changed very little since we were children standing on the driveway of this home watching the first missiles soar into space.   Thank you Dad for helping to put missiles and men into space and on the moon.    You were a part of history, and we watched it all from this little home.  

In the next photo are my parents, James and Lillie Thompson, on the day my husband and I were married...

Here is a photo in the early 1980's of my parents with my older son and I.  I was about 29 years old at the time.   I lived in Houston, Texas, and was visiting my parents.    This photo was made in the front yard of their home. 

Another photo of my parents taken at my sister's wedding...

The next photo is of my Dad on the left with Astronaut Walter Schirra in the center.  My Father was receiving a service award.   In this photo, you can see one of the short sleeved pocket shirts that I always remembered my Dad wearing to work in those days.   The man on the right was also receiving an award and worked with my Dad.   Note:  Walter "Wally" Schirra passed away in 2007.  He was the only Astronaut to fly in all three of America's manned space projects---Mercury, Gemini, and Apollo.   "Wally" was one of the first seven original Astronauts--selected in 1959.  He was the Commander of the first crew to fly into space aboard an Apollo capsule--Apollo 7--following the tragic launchpad fire that claimed the lives of the crew of Apollo 1."   To learn more about this pioneer of space, Walter Schirra, please go to this site: Astronaut Walter Schirra


I am so happy that my parents had the opportunity to watch one of their grandchildren graduate from college before they passed away.   This is my son that you see in the photograph above with me.   He graduated Summa Cum Laude with a Mechanical Engineering degree from the University of Florida.   My older son is the eldest grandchild and the first to graduate from college.   My parents were very proud of him, and they attended the graduation ceremony at the University.   My younger son is in college, at this time, at the University of Washington in Seattle.  He is studying Computer Engineering.   I also have a niece attending college in Texas at this time.   I wish my parents could have seen them graduate, as well, but I know they will be there in spirit and be very proud. 

My Dad loved to fish.  He had a lifelong passion for fishing along the St. Johns and Indian Rivers.   He also loved to go practice shooting....which he called "plunking."   Here is a photo, taken a few years ago, of me with my Dad and my younger son out in the country doing target practice.   My Father used to take my siblings and I out "plunking" when we were about my son's age.   My father taught us to respect the rivers and also to respect guns.  

Next is a photo of a newspaper article that featured my Dad and several others getting awards for 25 years of service at Lockheed Missiles and Space.  My Dad has the tinted glasses on  and is standing on the far right.  

Here is the entire photo.

My Dad fishing on the St. Johns River in Florida.

Me and the Volkswagen I drove in 10th grade to high school.   This is not our home in the background.   Our home is in front of me. 

My Dad and I on the day my husband and I were married.

My Mother and I on the day my husband and I were married...

My Mother with my two sons and I several years ago.  We were staying in a hotel on Cocoa Beach and celebrating my younger son's birthday.   I lived in Houston at the time and was visiting the Florida area. This was taken in the early 90's.

A photo of my Father in his Air Force uniform.   I think he was very handsome...


My beautiful Mother in a photograph made before I was born...

My Father's name is engraved into the Gemini Monument along a public spacewalk park in Titusville, Florida, along the Indian River.   It honors his service on the Agena projects.   It also honors several other people who had service to the space program on this and other projects.   If you look at this photo, you can see the Vehicle Assembly Building at the Kennedy Space Center across the Indian River.   I am very proud of the fact that my Dad's name is on this monument which is lit up at night.  

Me pointing to my Dad's name on the Agena section of the spacewalk monument that stands on display along the Indian River almost directly across from the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) at the Space Center.  

Neil Armstrong's handprints  on display along the walkway to the monument...


Touching the imprint of Neil Armstrong's hands...

Christmas time of 2009, my husband and two sons with me standing in front of the walk to the monument.

My two sons and I in 2009 at the monument....

Thank you for walking down memory lane with me today.  Thank you, Dad, for your years of service at Lockheed (and Lockheed-Martin) and for being a part of history.    This posting is dedicated to you.   Thank you Mom and Dad for all the love...   I love and miss you both....    

I hope everyone has a beautiful day today.   xoxo Kim

p.s.  I didn't realize it at the time I began this posting, but I am publishing this post on the same day that Nasa announced which museums will receive one of the Space Shuttles....our Seattle Museum of Flight was on the list of possible recepients.  Unfortunately, Seattle was not chosen, but we were proud to be on the list.   Today, 30 years ago, the shuttle missions began.   Thank you to the shuttles and the men and women (those living and deceased) that courageously gave their time (and some their lives) for space exploration, science and to better our world.  We salute you today!   Thank you!   We will not forget...

If you have a friend or relative that has a name on the Gemini Monument, you can search for the name at this site:  Gemini Monument list of names