Autumn through the Years in Fairfield Glade

 Dear Friends,   Welcome to October!!!!  As I say every month,  where is the time going????  I cannot believe that September is over....  Soon it will be Christmas! (Mercy)....

We haven't had much Fall color so far this year in our area  (Fairfield Glade, TN)---so  I had fun going through my old photos and picking out one for each year to share  (2003 - 2021).  I put the pictures in order, according to the year.  Every year brings different coloring due to the weather --and some years the colors are MUCH better than other years..  ENJOY!!!!

One of the gorgeous MAPLE Trees which bloom in our area  (2003)

Our little front yard (Oh how it has changed) (2004)

Walking on one of the Golf Courses here in the Glade  (2005)

Our back yard, when the sun illuminates the leaves  (2006)

A gorgeous day to walk in our neighborhood (2007)

One of the lakes in Fairfield Glade (2008)

Then there are the YELLOWS of Fall  (2009)

We have a love/hate relationship with the deer.  Taken from our deck;  (2010)

Reflections in the lake during the late-afternoon sun  (2011)

The blue skies and sunshine bring out the Fall colors.  (2012)

Looking across our front yard (2013)

From our deck,  looking at the beautiful Oak tree  (2014)

One of the few PINK colors in our yard (2015)

Our Home in Fall (2016)

Side Yard (including the pink Dogwood leaves)  (2017)

Beautiful tree at the Lutheran Church nearby (2018)

Beautiful colors from the late afternoon sun  (2019)

Our side yard Norway Maple tree; one of the last ones to turn colors  (2020)

Our beautiful Pink Dogwood showing off its Fall colors (2021)

Don't you love ALL of these different colors?  The dark oranges are some of my favorites.   AND --of course,  there are the brilliant red colors and the golden yellows...  One that is unique is the almost PINK one!

What are some of your favorite things about Fall besides the colors?  I love the smell of Fall,  the cooler temperatures,  fires in the fireplace,  putting on my sweats,  college football (ha),  hot Chili for dinner, walking in the leaves as they crunch under my feet,  ETC.....

Hope you enjoyed some of these photos?  Hopefully I will share some of our 2022 Fall Pictures soon.

Hugs,

Betsy💝💛💚💕

   

A Little More SNOW in Tennessee ----Yeah!!!!!

Our Home---Feb. 7, 2020

YEP----here's another little "Snow Post" from Betsy!!!!!  Geeessshhh!!!!   BUT--for this old 'snow lover',   this little snow was one of our prettiest in several years...  Yes--it was little,  and even you who live in snow-climate areas wouldn't mind this one!  We only got about 1.5 inches AND since we had had over SEVEN INCHES of RAIN before the snow came,  the ground was so warm causing the snow not to stick to the ROADS or Driveways or grassy areas at all much.   BUT--it stuck to the trees and shrubs and that made for a gorgeous little snow!!!   AND---even better news:  it was gone in 2 days!!!!

Today -I'll share some pictures I took around the yard that morning  (Feb. 7, 2020)  PLUS 4 pictures taken that afternoon as we ventured out to run some errands!!!!!  The drive down the Cumberland Plateau to Cookeville to go to Sam's was so pretty....

Hope you enjoy the pictures.  After looking at the possible weather for the rest of February,   it appears as if this may be our last snow this year  (unless we get some winter weather in March).... Our area used to get several deep snows in winter --but for the past several years,  we've gotten almost none.... Call it "Climate Change" or whatever... I just know it is very different these days.

Back Yard

The Rhododendron is being protected from the cold --by its "Snow Coat"

Don't think we'll be having a picnic on our deck!!!  (ha)

The Side Yard looking toward the front;  See the Daffodils 'trying' to pop up????

Shrubs in our front yard

Looking toward the 'lower' side yard

One of our shrubs ---up close and personal

Looking up at the snow clinging to the trees, near the Flag Pole

One more picture of our front yard

As we left home,  I took this picture of a beautiful evergreen tree in our area.

Passing by Mirror Lake in our community... IF you look close enough (right in the middle)  you will see the little fountain!!!

WOW---the trees were so gorgeous as we drove down the mountain.

Another picture from the car of the beauty all around us

Finally,  the errands are finished and we back home --only to enjoy the snow outside and a warm fire going in our fireplace!!!!!   What a Life!!!!

Well---hope you enjoyed our little snow and the ride we took you on!!!!!!  Now--the snow is gone and it's back to warmer weather ---with more RAIN coming this week... THAT--I can do without since we have had nothing but rain/flooding for it seems like weeks and weeks....Prayers for all of the people in flooded areas....East Tennessee has had its share of that!

Have an awesome week.

Hugs,

Life's Changes

Mark --in the Smoky Mountains

Dear Friends,  how are you today?  I know that most of you remember my sad news  in August of 2017.   Son Mark's  wife  died suddenly.   Mark and Debbie had been together for 2 years  --but had only been married for about 2 months when her Bi-Polar condition which she had battled for years,  WON the war!  

Her death was listed as a suicide --but Mark thinks that she had been doing so well the past couple of years that she decided to get off of her medications.  Of course,  neither Mark, nor Debbie's four daughters, nor her friends had any idea that she wasn't taking her meds....   In the end,  when Mark was out of the house,  Debbie took WAY too many meds and over-dosed....

There is so much most of us do not know about mental illness.   Mark learned a lot during their relationship --but he learned MUCH more after her death...   Nobody likes to take those powerful medications.  Even I HATE taking my A Fib meds because all medications have side effects...  I'd love to get off of those drugs --but I know that I CANNOT.  

Debbie and Mark had been so happy together.  Her daughters and friends have always said that she was the happiest with Mark than she had been her whole life.  All of us in the family loved her and her vivacious personality.  Mark thought that he had found a partner for life ---and then she was GONE.

WELL---this post is not about Debbie --but is about MARK,  and what has happened since that horrible day in August, 2017.   Mark grieved hard (VERY HARD) for several months --and I was SO worried about him.   BUT--he finally took a step toward living....

Even though he had a fabulous job in Texas,  Mark decided that he was ready to come 'home'---back to Tennessee.  That was a huge decision for him.  But--he knew that he needed family, and a new place with fewer memories.

SO--in APRIL 2018,  he and brother Bert moved to Maryville,  Tennessee.   Since then,  there have been a few hiccups --but overall,  he has done well.  His job in the Home Building industry  (where he had done so well in Texas) didn't work out.   BUT--he got his 'dream' job as General Manager of the Pour House (sports bar selling craft beer) in Knoxville.

Mark (and Bert) both love the Smoky Mountains.... SO---they spend every spare minute they can hiking in Smokies.   That THRILLS me so much since I also love the Smokies and have hiked to many of the same places in past --where they are hiking now.   I'm re-living that JOY through them.

Mark's picture showing one of their hiking trails in the Smokies

One of Mark's photos in Cades Cove in the Smokies

Photo taken in Cades Cove in the Smoky Mountains

To make the joy of hiking and riding in the mountains even better,  Mark bought a shiny little red Jeep!!!

Mark and brother Bert (who have so much in common) enjoy being together  when they hike,  go to games --or just enjoy a meal with us!!!!

Besides hiking in the Smokies,  Mark (and Bert) have enjoyed going to both the Tennessee Vols  Football and now the Basketball games.  By the way,  our Vols Basketball team is doing GREAT so far this year!!!!!!

"Pappa" Mark and Vivi

In January of 2018,  Mark's granddaughter,  Vivian Lee, was born.   That's another blessing --not just to Mark but also to all of us in the family.  

Diana and Mark

Between the new job,  the love of the Smoky Mountains, and being closer to family ---Mark has done really well... AND   2019  looks great so far also.  His best friend and Sweetheart from Texas,  Diana,  is moving to Tennessee in February to be with Mark.

a 2nd Granddaughter is coming!!!

Then in MAY of 2019,  Mark's daughter Brooke is expecting another little girl  (Veronica). How awesome is that!!!

Mark brought Diana to Tennessee in the Fall to see if she liked it...  She DID.

I am so happy for Mark and Diana,  and especially happy that I see the joy and SMILE back in Mark's face.  

YES---life can be hard for any of us.  BUT--when life does throw those tragedies in our face,  we either choose to sit around and let it consume us --or we find the strength to move on with our lives.   There is ALWAYS joy to be found if we keep the right attitude and be willing to search for that JOY.

I hope you enjoyed reading about Mark and what is going on in his life now.

Hugs,

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