There's a Hole in My Bucket . . .

When I joined Pinterest a few months ago, I started a "Bucket List" board to record the things I want to do "someday".  Here's what I have so far:

1. Meet Tim Gunn
2. Build a house on the farm in Kansas where my dad grew up
3. See the Rose Parade in person 
4. Travel to Italy
5. Travel to England, Scotland, Ireland
6. Take a summer vacation at Tyler Place Family Resort in Vermont with all my children/grandchildren
7. Spend a summer on the coast of Maine
8. Take a tour of lighthouses on the Atlantic Coast
9. Attend the Cherry Blossom Festival in Washington, D.C.
10. Tour the White House at Christmas
11. Watch 4th of July fireworks from the mall in Washington, D.C.
12. Sleep in a glass igloo in Finland to watch the Northern Lights
13. See a whale in the wild
14. Vacation on Macinack Island
15. Have a car customized by Count's Kustoms

Probably very similar to many people's lists.  But, this morning, something sparked the thought that there's a problem with this list - a "hole in my bucket", so to speak.  These are mostly big-ticket, wildest-dreams ideas.  Unless I win the lottery or inherit millions from a rich, reclusive relative I'm not aware of, most of these things aren't going to happen.  At best, a small portion of them will - given I live long enough, the stock market doesn't take another huge hit, and our children eventually graduate from college and become self-sufficient. 

So, I have been rethinking my bucket list and decided I also need to have a smaller-scale, more attainable list of things I want to accomplish, or at least try.  I'm calling it my Mason Jar LIst:

1. Camp overnight at Indian Cave State Park
2. Hike all eleven trails at Indian Cave State Park (2 done)
3. Buy/rent a camper and take a wandering vacation - no plans or itineraries
4. Make an Americana quilt for my bed
5. Read all the books in my house
6. Make a quilt for each of my children/grandchildren
7. Buy a baby doll, make a wardrobe for it, and give it to a total stranger.
8. Host a family reunion for my cousins on my Dad's side (coming in April)
9. Start a Little Free Library
10. Hike to Hanging Falls Lake in Colorado (not hike all the way to Colorado, just from the road to the lake)
11. Start a book club
12. Write a book
13. Serve a meal at a homeless shelter or soup kitchen
14. Lose 11 8 pounds
15. Have a best friend again
16. Make and keep a gratitude journal for a year
17. Decorate my kitchen in Vintage 50's decor
18. Have a different themed Christmas tree in each room of the house
19. Win a blue ribbon at the county fair (sort of, but there were only 2 entries in the category, so I'm not counting it)
20. Meet a fellow book blogger I only know on-line
21. Have an article published in a magazine

I'm sure this will be a fast-growing list, and hopefully I'll be just as quick with marking things off.  I'll update it as I go along.  What's on your list?

Last of the Summer Reads

In May, I selected eight books I wanted to read for my private summer reading program.  Below are numbers six and seven.  I've run out of summer and haven't gotten to that last book - The Uninvited Guests - but I'll tack it on my so-far-unwritten fall list.

Porch Lights by Dorothea Benton Frank:  When her husband is killed in the line of duty, Jackie, and ten-year-old son, Charlie, decide to return to her childhood home on Sullivans Island.  Awaiting them is Annie Britt, the family matriarch who has kept the porch lights on to welcome them home. Thrilled to have her family back, Annie promises to make their visit perfect—even though relations between mother and daughter have never been smooth. Annie's estranged and wise husband, Buster, and her flamboyant and funny best friend, Deb, are sure to keep Annie in line. She's also got Steven Plofker—the flirtatious and tasty widowed physician next door, to keep her distracted. (from publisher's blurb)

Funny - in a "not really" sort of way - that I find myself identifying more with the matriarch in many books lately, rather than the younger heroine.  I liked Annie.  She grates on people, she's a perfectionist, she's a little bossy - at least that's what her husband and daughter see.  But when you get inside her head, she is so much more and her motives are always for the benefit of her family.  Jackie, her daughter, should be the more compassion-inducing character - young widow, war veteran, single mother - but I found her a bit self-indulgent and headstrong.  I'm sure many readers under forty will see the relationship differently.

Whichever side of that line you're on, I think you'll enjoy this story.  It's a 4-star winner on my scale.  Here are a couple of quotes I especially liked:

You want a piece of advice from a tired sixty-three-year-old waitress who has seen it all? . . . Love your momma, honey, and try to treasure every minute you spend with her.  Forgive her everything she does. She's not out to aggravate you.  I'd give every last tooth I have left in my head to have my momma back for just ten minutes.  I'm not lying either.  She was the best friend I ever had, and well, I didn't know it until she was gone.

The young people dressed as though they had no respect for the sanctity of the occasion of worship, but don't get me started on that either.  Church is no place for shorts and jeans, even if one attends the twenty-eighth splintered-off sect of some minuscule, hardly-heard-of Protestant church that holds it's services in a barn.  Sorry.  You're going to worship the Lord?  Dress for the occasion, please.

Wallflower in Bloom by Claire Cook:  A winning and witty novel about a woman who emerges from the shadow of her overbearing family and finds herself “dancing with the stars.”  Deirdre Griffin has a great life; it’s just not her own. She’s the round-the-clock personal assistant to her charismatic, high-maintenance, New Age guru brother, Tag. As the family wallflower, her only worth seems to be as Tag’s gatekeeper at his New England seaside compound.

Then Deirdre’s sometime boyfriend informs her that he is marrying another woman. While drowning her sorrows in expensive vodka, Deirdre decides to use her brother’s massive online following to get herself voted on as a last-minute Dancing with the Stars replacement. 

Irresistible and offbeat, Wallflower in Bloom is an original and deeply satisfying story of having the courage to take a leap into the spotlight, no matter where you land. (from publisher's blurb)

Being a big fan of Dancing With the Stars, this book caught my eye just for the potential of a behind-the-scenes glimpse.  Deirdre has shades of Bridget Jones, and similar humor.  She is a charming protagonist - so totally unaware of her own talents and value - that you want to call in and vote for her.  Also a 4-star read.

Meet Me at the Movies - x 4

I haven't done a very good job of keeping up with my own meme.  I started "Meet Me At the Movies" to take advantage of a wider variety of the 600+ channels we get on TV and I've watched quite a few - but haven't added them here.  So let's rectify that.  Here's a quick rundown of what I've been watching:

Christmas in July: (1940) An office clerk loves entering contests in the hopes of someday winning a fortune and marrying the girl he loves. His latest attempt is the Maxford House Coffee Slogan Contest. As a joke, some of his co-workers put together a fake telegram which says that he won the $25,000 grand prize. As a result, he gets a promotion, buys presents for all of his family and friends, and proposes to his girl. When the truth comes out, he's not prepared for the consequences.

Stars Dick Powell and Ellen Drew, staples in movies from the 1930's through the 1950's and on TV during the 1960's.  Cute "comedy of errors"-type story.

On The Town:  (1949)  Three sailors on a day of shore leave in New York City look for fun and romance before their twenty-four hours are up. 

Gene Kelly, Frank Sinatra and Ann Miller with music by Leonard Bernstein - It just doesn't get much better than that.  Features the classic song "New York, New York".  As in many films of this style/era, the plot is a little thin, but the music and comedy make it so much fun that I didn't care.

Also starred Betty Garrett.  Took me a while to place her, but you might remember her better as Irene Lorenzo on All in the Family or Edna Babbish on Laverne and Shirley.

Going My Way: (1944)  Father O'Malley's (Bing Crosby) worldly knowledge helps him connect with a gang of kids looking for direction and handle the business details of the church-building fund and winning over his aging, conventional superior, Father Fitzgibbon. 
This was easily my favorite of my recent movie watches. The story of Father O'Malley's work with the "gang" (pretty mild-mannered gang by today's standards) is touching, but the music is still the highlight.  Bing Crosby singing Silent Night and Swingin' On a Star is a treat.

Mary Mary: (1963)  Nine months after they split up, Bob and Mary meet at his New York apartment to sort out some tax matters. He's getting married to healthy-eating Tiffany as soon as the divorce becomes final, and she is attracted by fellow tenant Dirk Winston, a Hollywood star.  Working through the tax records brings back memories and rekindles old feelings.

Debbie Reynolds is always a joy to watch. Her comedic timing is perfect.  Unfortunately, we don't get to hear her sing in this film, but the story and the writing are good.  Barry Nelson was another of those faces that I knew I should know but couldn't place, so I had to look him up.  He's another actor who guest-starred on nearly every TV show during the 60's - 80's, but I realized I recognized him most from the movie Airport.  

Grit and Glitter

I'm not a big magazine reader.  I prefer to devote reading time to books, but a couple days ago, I told you about my one exception to that rule: Grit Magazine.  Recently I received an offer for a free copy of another farm-life-oriented magazine:  Mary Jane's Farm.  I just received my first issue and I'm loving it already.  This is the "glittery, girly" side of rural living - focus is more on cooking, sewing, quilting, etc.  If I can judge a magazine by one issue, looks like I'm going to have to make a second exception to my "no magazines" rule.  Just thought you might be interested.

Happy Trails . . .

Dave and I recently visited Indian Cave State Park.  Located less than 20 miles from our house, we drove by the sign for a year-and-a-half and repeatedly said "We should go there."   After looking it up on-line and seeing the beautiful hiking trails, we finally took the plunge a couple weeks ago.  Since this is as close as we're getting to a vacation this summer, here is the obligatory slide show.  I've kept the pics relatively small to keep this as short as possible, but click to enlarge anything you would like to see more clearly. (Preferrably NOT the pic of me dripping sweat.)

Start of the trail.  After a mile or so of this view I began to have Hunger Games visions.  I swear I heard a Mockingjay.

Ran across this about a half-mile in.  Sad that it ever existed.

Sadder still - this is the only headstone we could find.  Wonder how many graves were never marked.

Our first glimpse of the Missouri River.  

The talking tree from Disney's Pocahontas?

The Missouri River Valley from the top of the trail.

Here we are at the log cabin at the end of the trail - sweaty and red-faced, but proud we made it all the way.  And yes, we're aware it looks like there's a ghost standing behind me.  "Mysterious and spooky...all together ooky."

Tip for future hikes:  Some husbands find it annoying if you sing old Girl Scout songs as you go . . . "Val-da-ri, Val-da-ra.  My knapsack on my back."  Or maybe it was just my singing that he found annoying.

We parked near here so decided to explore a little before leaving.

There are only two buildings left in St. Deroin - this one, now used for candle-making demonstrations . . .

. . . and the schoolhouse.

"Lassie, run tell Mom I've fallen down the well."

One-lane road that leads to/from hiking trails we visited.

Now that's what I call determination!

The Indian Cave for which the park is named - awesome!

One of the hieroglyphs discovered at the cave - related to Lewis and Clark's boat that traveled this area and traded with local Native Americans in 1804?

Dave, wondering about the height of the hieroglyph carver . . . ?

One of Dave's biggest pet-peeves:  littering.   This spot is too beautiful to be marred by  thoughtless people and their food-wrappers, so he climbed over the fence to fill his pockets with scattered trash . . .

. . . and deposited it in it's rightful place.

The Missouri River from ground level.
 A year ago,  this area was under 20 ft. of flood waters

While I have spent many of my adult years in Nebraska, my heart still belongs to Kansas, so I had to catch a shot of the sunflowers along the banks of the Missouri.

Our plan is to hike all eleven trails within Indian Cave State Park - ranging in length from 1/2 mile to 6 miles. Two down, nine to go.  There's even talk of hiking in and camping overnight - but no one believes I'll actually do it.  Ahh... a challenge!

Read in July/August

Here's a quick run-down of what I've read in July and August. A couple more, that warrent a longer review, coming soon.

The Skinny Rules by Bob Harper: Sound, usable rules for healthier eating.  Can't say I'm following every one of them, but I learned some good basics for healthy eating.  Highly recommended for anyone who wants realistic, easy to follow guidelines for losing weight.

Then Came You by Jennifer Weiner: Explores the new trends of surrogacy and egg donors, and the effects they have on everyone involved.  Interesting premise but just didn't grab me - 3 out of 5 stars.

Watership Down by Richard Adams: "It is a powerful saga of courage, leadership and survival; an epic tale of a hardy band of adventurers forced to flee the destruction of their fragile community...and their trials and triumphs in the face of extraordinary adversity as they pursue a glorious dream called "home." Classic - 'nuff said.

True Colors by Kristin Hannah: While the story is centered on racial prejudice and a man wrongfully imprisoned, the real story is in the relationship between his wife and her two sisters. Extra interesting to me because I am the middle child of three sisters.  Moved a little slow - but still gets 4 stars.

Jeeves Takes Charge by P.G.Wodeshouse:  A classic in audio version performed perfectly. The variety of voices performed by one man was amazing.

A Turn in the Road by Debbie Macomber:  If you follow me on Twitter (@mrschupa), you might remember that I mentioned wanting to load up the car and just drive till we see an ocean. This is the book that helped spark that wanderlust.  Three generations of women drive from Washington to Florida - working out their life problems along the way. Good but not great.

Demon Rumm by Sandra Brown:  Don't bother

11th Hour by James Patterson:  Latest in the Women's Murder Club series. It's typical Patterson - standard thriller, nothing out of the ordinary, but keeps you turning pages.

True Grit

Do you remember Grit?  I don't recall that my family ever subscribed, but I remember seeing it around.  I assumed it was just one more of the things of my youth that have gone by the wayside.  But not so.

If you read my review of Hens and Chickens, you may recall that I became cyber-friends with the author, Jennifer Wixson, through a circuitous route on Twitter.  Part of that route involved Hank Will, the editor of Grit Magazine.  Well, color me surprised!  Grit is still in circulation and now a magazine? Jennifer even mentions Grit in the book. Considering my new-found love of the farm life, I was instantly infatuated.

For those of you who don't remember Grit, here's a bit of history (brazenly plagerized from Grit's own website):  Grit was founded in 1882.  In 1891, the owner hit upon a grand idea - newsboys to sell Grit directly to the public - and the newspaper began to expand to small towns across the country.  In 1983, it was purchased by the same company that published Capper's Weekly and moved it to Topeka in 1993.  Both magazines have since sold to Ogden Publications.

Today's Grit "celebrates country lifestyles of all kinds, while emphasizing the importance of community and stewardship.  We still have the same values:  Community, Family, Positive Outlook and Sharing." 

The most recent issue contains stories on canning and preserving, incubating eggs and using manure in your garden.  I know, not glamorous, but it's part of that simpler life I'm always searching for - a return to the ways of my grandparents or great-grandparents.  Each issue inspires me - right up to the point where I realize how much work all these ideas are going to be - but I still love the values represented.