Election Day

Posted on November 6, 2012 by Pat

American Flag Photo – Microsoft Clipart

It’s Election Day for Americans. We’ve listened and watched as the candidates gave their spiel repeatedly on TV, radio commercials, through internet and newspaper reviews nonstop for the last 2 years.

By now, near sundown, I would venture to say most have cast their vote and maybe most 2 years ago already knew for whom they would vote.

Americans, we are a curious lot with our mixture of beliefs, passions, love of freedom and country. Though weary sometimes of the process, we wouldn’t trade anything for the right to vote and honor it as a privileged part of our heritage.

I remember the year I turned 21 and was eligible to vote for the first time. It was memorable to me because of our location and the time in history. Our country was still fighting the Viet Nam War and my husband and I, stationed in the Air Force, lived in a small town in Virginia. Instead of base housing, we rented an upper-story vacant, southern house surrounded by a network of corn and potato fields and miles of country roads.

It was a slower pace of living, far from the big cities and traffic lights. A mile from our house was an old-style country store along one of those back roads. It looked as if it had been an old farm-house at one time with wooden steps going up an old porch leading to a weathered screen door on the front. It was the local polling place.

My husband being in the military had already cast his absentee ballot and accompanied me up the steps to inquire about voting where there was an old man cutting a child’s hair. Yes, this is where I was to vote and I truly didn’t know what to expect. It’s a little difficult to paint this picture, as I felt as if I had been transported to an era 40 years prior.

We stepped inside surprised to see a lot of people. They were picking up a few groceries and voting at the same time. I got in line with the others to get my paper ballot, then moved on to find my spot at one of the few counters spread throughout the store, write in my vote and deposit it in a big box by the cash register. There was nothing fancy or commercial, just simple and warm exercising my God-given freedom.

No matter what party you’re affiliated with or what candidate you chose, I hope you voted today and maybe stopped for a moment to feel the love in your heart for this great country and the many people who have fought and are still fighting for it ~~ Thank you!

“American the Beautiful” – Ray Charles

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gOvA-Hn4_ZM

I Have Been Nominated For The Liebster Award

Posted on October 26, 2012 by Pat

Microsoft Clipart

I have been nominated for the Liebster Award and want to thank Wendy McCance for the nomination. Please check out her site at Searching for the Happiness where she writes about her life’s journeys. I love reading her take on handling the everyday highs and lows with a positive outlook.

(From sketchy information in a Google search on the Liebster Award, I believe it is a type of chain letter. Possibly originating in Germany in 2010 it was created to help showcase sites with a smaller following.)

For the award, Wendy gave me 11 questions and here are my answers. I hope you enjoy this post and have as much fun reading as I’ve had being a part of it. 🙂

1. What has been the most rewarding part of blogging for you?

I love sharing stories, connecting, listening to and exchanging nuggets of hope, words of wisdom and inspiration. I get so excited when a post materializes (it still amazes me in writing when it takes on a life of its own). I can’t wait to share especially when someone relates to a topic and comments. I enjoy hearing their perspectives – stories.

2. What have friends and family said about you having a blog?

My family has been surprised and happily nostalgic reading the recounting of my memories about our grandparents, parents and our children. It’s brought us closer together. Friends, co-workers and acquaintances that relate to a topic I think we’re getting to know each other better on a different level.

3. Has your blog helped you professionally or is your blog just for fun?

Yes, I’ve discovered that writing let alone reading is not so bad. As a kid, reading used to be my pet peeve. My dad was a “bookworm” and I thought life was just passing him by while he was reading what other people were doing instead of going out and doing something himself. Still today, to my regret, I haven’t read most classics. I’m a novice to writing but I love how it makes me feel when a story stirs inside crying to be told. I’m also learning to write e-books, social networking and the complexities of the internet.

4. How long have you been blogging?

5 years since 2007 but not exclusively (wrote sporadically while working in the corporate world) – just converted my site last summer from Blogger to WordPress.

5. What state or country do you live in?

Colorado (US) Rocky Mountains

6. What is your favorite hobby?

Flowers and plants – nature

7. What is your favorite type of food?

Seafood and Mexican food

8. Do you have a pet? If so, what type?

2 dogs (Riley an older guy 12-1/2 years old and Abby a new female puppy 6 months old) – both are mixed breeds. Riley is black lab/border collie and Abby is black lab/pointer.

9. What is your favorite book?

“Life of a Scotch Naturalist” – 100-year old book I inherited about my great-great grandfather Thomas Edward.

10. What is your favorite movie?

“It’s a Wonderful Life” – I set up the DVD player every Christmas eve after everyone has gone to bed and sit up and watch – just me and the Christmas tree. The family has gotten tired of seeing the movie every year. This old black-and-white 1947 movie is inspirational and magical to me – it doesn’t seem like much has changed in the struggles people had then and today except how people cared and helped each other. Gives me hope for the new year to come.

11. What is your favorite thing to do when you have free time?

This is so ironic (if you’ve read my earlier answer to question #3) – I like to read. Over the years, I’ve learned to really get into it – sort of escape. I also like to explore new places taking day trips or travel in general. I haven’t been able to do much of it but what I’ve done has been a ‘kick’.

Now, I’m supposed to choose 11 of my ‘dearest’ (German Google interpretation for Liebster) fellow bloggers I’ve enjoyed and want to showcase:

Elle Sommer – “Reflecting A Life” – http://reflectingalife.com
Denise Baer – “Skipping Stone Memories” – http://skippingstonememories.blogspot.com
Patricia Singleton – “Spiritual Journey of a Lightworker” – http://patriciasingleton.blogspot.com
Maureen Sullivan – “Magnificence” – http://magnificence.authorsxpress.com/
Patricia – “Patricia’s Wisdom – Helping Individuals Create Positive Life Change” – http://patriciaswisdom.com/
Barbara Swafford – “Blogging Without a Blog” – http://bloggingwithoutablog.com/
Brian – “Just Me” – http://wordsfrommymouth-personaddiction.blogspot.com/
Tom LaRotonda – “My Core Reflections” – http://blog.tomlarotonda.com/
Suzie Cheel – “Abundance Highway” – http://www.abundancehighway.com
‘Laura Quinn’ – “Surviving Myself” – http://survivingmyself.authorsxpress.com
Melody Fletcher – “Deliberate Blog” – http://deliberateblog.com

Thank you fellow bloggers for the warm, inspirational and informative posts you’ve written. I value your friendship, support and exchange of commentary in the reading of my articles.

And then, there are 11 questions I’m supposed to ask (perhaps a bit more philosophical than my questions – but I’m curious what your answers will be):

What part of the world do you live in?
What do you want to accomplish with your site?
If you could write only one story about your life knowing it would make a difference in the world, what would the title be and why?
Where do you hope to be professionally in 5 years and how do you think your site has gotten you there?
Is there something you’ve discovered about yourself in writing and creating this site and what is it?
If you had a ‘bucket list’, what would be at the top?
Name one thing you can talk about that will help me remember you?
When are you the happiest?
What is one of your most memorable experiences?
If I came to your site, what would you want to teach or share with me? And, how do you get me to come back?
If you had One wish, what would it be?

My One wish for you in this nomination is that it will open new doors for more people to find you, learn and connect until it circles the globe.

If life is a bit busy these days and time is limited – no worries. This particular award can be a lot of work. I’m happy you’ve stopped by to read and hope you’ve enjoyed it. It’s been an honor to nominate you. 🙂

If you’re able to take part, please link back to those who nominated you; likewise, please link to those you are nominating to let them know. If you have time, it might be fun to check out some of the other nominees’ sites on your list.

Thank you again Wendy for nominating me – I loved doing it. Congratulations to all the nominees! All the best to you. 🙂

Telling Stories – Holding Onto Memories

Posted on October 16, 2012 by Pat

“If stories come to you, care for them. And learn to give them away where they are needed. Sometimes a person needs a story more than food to stay alive.” — Barry Lopez in “Crow and Weasel”

This quote by Barry Lopez from Patti J Christensen in an article called “Quotes About Story and Story Telling” expresses how I feel about stories and the telling of them. Like many of you, I have material for story inspiration from many scenarios and unique people in my life, as you can tell if you’ve read any of my stories on this site. I enjoy sharing them and feel a connection to you when I tell them. I feel someone out there might have a similar experience and together we can recapture the moment and hold it in time.

This is a picture of a personal, historical family book published in 1905 about the life of Thomas Edward, Associate of the Linean Society (one of the highest honors that science could confer on him).

Family Book Photo © Jim Ruppel 2012

He is my great-great grandfather and I inherited the book when my father died.

It was given to him by his mother, my grandmother, and granddaughter of Thomas Edward. This hundred-year old book entitled “Life of a Scotch Naturalist” by Samuel Smiles, LL.D, tells the life story of a lad growing up in Scotland with a passion for nature.

So much so, I learned, was his passion that he was kicked out of a number of kindergarten schools for smuggling in all sorts of critters, i.e., young rats, moles, hedgehogs, horse-leeches, bees, snakes to name several. His love of nature led to continued exploring and the collection of many unidentified species throughout his entire life but without an education, which he regretted.

As an adult with wife and family, each day would find him working 12-plus hours as a shoemaker’s apprentice and at night searching caves, gullies and Scotland firths for the next, undiscovered new species to collect and send off to scientists to identify.

Nearing the end of his life after many years having never received any recognition or compensation for his contribution to science, he was finally given an award and a monthly stipend by Queen Victoria (my dad told me of a wooden box his mother had given him with Thomas’s award from Queen Victoria but I could never find it after my father’s death).

Even more important than the award and compensation, Thomas Edward finally became known to the world and placed upon the Civil List Fund by Her Majesty with a memorial signed by many distinguished gentlemen of the time to include Charles Darwin, F.R.S.

If this cherished century-old book of my great-great grandfather had never been written and his life story documented, I would never have known about it. If we don’t pass along our stories, they will be lost forever and generations that follow will never get a chance to know us and what the world was truly like, as we saw it and lived. Many people will write historical journals about our era but only we can truly capture it first-hand and share it with our loved ones and others connecting us now and in the world to come.

I like to hear people share their stories capturing the memories and I want to hold onto the moment with them for just a little longer. There’s one such book you may be interested in called “The Figurine” by Rona Simmons, an author featured on Denise Baer’s “Pay It Forward” Skipping Stones Memories site. Rona writes of WWII experiences, as told by a nurse.

I will be sharing guest short stories on my site from time-to-time and I would like to hear your story. If you would like to participate with full copyright, please send your contact information via comment of this post or email me at pcruppel47@gmail.com. Please, under separate cover, send only true, personal story types (nonfiction) that are funny, unique, historical, inspirational or encouraging giving others hope and perhaps tools of lessons learned.

Let’s keep our stories and ancestors’ stories alive by telling them. It will mean something to our children and the generations to come.

Pat from the ol’ kitchen table ~~ Want to put a big grin on my face? Just leave a comment or question. I’ll be grateful!

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It’s the Little Things that Matter

Posted on October 3, 2012 by Pat

Giving – Microsoft Clipart

The other day, my husband did something for me without saying a word and I didn’t notice it until it was almost time for bed. A small gesture, nevertheless everyday love, expressed this little way struck me and sparked the writing of this post.

I’ve been bringing in plants every day acclimating them to inside temperatures for winter because the temperatures at mountain elevations cool down real fast after the sun goes down.

Almost time to turn in, he looked at the thermometer and commented on the temperature 48° and I jumped up thinking, “I forgot to bring in my plants”.

I then noticed they were already inside. I had appointments and errands to run earlier and, as it got late in the day, my husband brought them in. It’s what he does – a lot more than I.

It’s the little things that say: “I care”, “I’m here”, and “I love you!” Whatever type of relationship you have, the little things count – they matter. Whether you’re a couple, living at home or single with your dog, you notice the little things and respond. They are important.

You have a pet, your favorite companion, there to greet you when you come home every night like you’re the greatest person alive! No time is measured, expectations or explanations – just love, love, love – right now.

We live for the connections with one another, friends, family and the world. We can’t wait for the next text, tweet and reach for a written letter first in the mail. How we show our thoughts and communicate in the little things all gives us purpose. When we express consideration through a phone call, send a “Thinking About You” note or pick up a treat at the store you know he loves gives life meaning.

Do you remember the last time someone did a little something for you that touched your heart or how good it felt to send some fresh, garden vegetables over to the neighbor? Maybe, it’s been a long time since you’ve seen those little things.

Then, it’s time to pick up the phone and call a brother or sister you haven’t talked to in a while or whatever little thing seems right to you. It doesn’t take much but it’s so worth it and feels so good!

Pat – from the ol’ kitchen table ~~ Put a smile on my face and leave a comment or question!

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Rainy Day

Posted on September 25, 2012 by Pat

Backyard Puddles – Photo by Pat Ruppel

It’s a rainy September day with the feel of fall in the air. Snow will soon be flying and we’ll pull ourselves inside where it’s warm with reflections of the past summer months.

I remember one of those mornings this summer. Not many words needed to be spoken just experienced and felt.

It started with one of those rare, spontaneous moments of nature when a group of 8 young deer began playing in the backyard.

The young ones got it started and then the moms joined in bouncing, hurtling the fences between yards, rearing up and darting back and forth at each other daring a chase around the trees.

I don’t remember ever seeing wild animals play quite like that. It was a natural playground in our background. It made me smile to see wildlife play like children.

Many evenings would find my husband and I sitting on the deck looking out our backyard, breathing in the summer nights and fresh mountain air. How time passes ever so slowly but passing nonetheless – if only for a moment we could catch and hold on to it like a firefly.

As we draw inside with reflections of summer and dreams of what the future holds my heart warms with hope and love as I hear Alison Krauss sing, “You say it best when you say nothing at all.”