Hey, It's Good to Be Back Home Again

 

Dear Friends,

After two and a half weeks of living out of suitcases, it feels wonderful to be back home! We've missed catching up with all of you, but you were in our thoughts.

We thought of you as we traveled past thousands of acres of farmland to North Platte, Nebraska~

 

 . . .And as we zoomed through the never-ending, windy, winding roads of Wyoming~

 

...While we rested up at the local Econolodge. . .

 

When we fueled up with a little kombucha and checked our itinerary. . .

. . .And as we ventured into the more familiar territory of Utah and Idaho.

We missed you almost as much as Frankie missed the sandals that he left at Bear Lake!

It was almost as though we had never left home, when we went camping in our favorite place in the whole world, Wolverine Canyon.

 And we were excited to meet a new grand-niece and nephew (we lost the pictures of the grand-niece, darn it!).

 

The Snake River was as wild and beautiful as ever. . . 

 But it was made a little friendlier with the company of a favorite cousin or two!

Our Idaho visit officially ended on Tasha's birthday, July 15th (we've never celebrated a birthday from the road before, but Tasha seemed to not mind in the least!),

 And we saw new sights as we traveled on I-70 through Colorado (while singing lots of John Denver songs), then Kansas, then home sweet home!

 

There were times when we wondered if we would ever get out the car again,

And we missed our chickens and kitten dearly, but it was a wonderful thing to see the dear loved ones again, if for all-too short a time. Now we are feeling back to normal, wearing wet scarves on our heads while watering our poor little garden, and making plans of how to wreak revenge on the ground hogs and deer that ate most of it! :)

No matter where our paths made lead, dear friends, know that your friendship makes the trail a little brighter.

Love,

Marqueta

*********************

EQUIPMENT

Figure it out for yourself, my lad,
You've all that the greatest of men have had,
Two arms, two hands, two legs, two eyes
And a brain to use if you would be wise.
With this equipment they all began,
So start for the top and say, "I can."

Look them over, the wise and great
They take their food from a common plate,
And similar knives and forks they use,
With similar laces they tie their shoes.
The world considers them brave and smart,
But you've all they had when they made their start.

You can triumph and come to skill,
You can be great if you only will.
You're well equipped for what fight you choose,
You have legs and arms and a brain to use,
And the man who has risen great deeds to do
Began his life with no more than you.

You are the handicap you must face,
You are the one who must choose your place,
You must say where you want to go,
How much you will study the truth to know.
God has equipped you for life, but He
Lets you decide what you want to be.

Courage must come from the soul within,
The man must furnish the will to win.
So figure it out for yourself, my lad.
You were born with all that the great have had,
With your equipment they all began,
Get hold of yourself and say: "I can."

--Edgar A. Guest