Lady Traveler Fever

Lake Michigan @ Silver Lake Park sand dunes 2016

Anything, everything, little or big

becomes an adventure

when the right person shares it.

I'm sitting in my living room, sipping water and taking my morning vitamins,

daydreaming of our past road trips, 

and planning for our next big road trip to California.

Rob walks in from our screened porch and notices that familiar look on my face.

"Where are you now? Here? Myrtle Beach? Lake Michigan? California?"

"All of the above. I feel that vagabond spirit coming over me."

"And I can see it. I have an idea.
Why don't we go to Dreyer Island next week for a few days?"

Yes!

Upon returning home a few weeks ago, we decided to stay home for the summer.

The decision sounded good at the moment.

Traveling in our home-on-wheels three weeks after my knee replacement surgery

was the perfect Physical Therapy for me.

But now, the thought of lounging around our home for two months,

sitting in our screened porch in the evenings 

while thunder storms surround us.

Ahh, nothing could be finah

than to be in Carolina...

Daydreaming in Springfield, Missouri 2015
Shawn Watson Photography

That lasted until mid-July.

Hot July. Hotter August on the way.

Now we shall pack a few items,

and off we'll go,

just an hour north on Lake Murray,

to Dreyer Island.

Everywhere I go people say to me,

"I wish I could travel like you."

Last week at a writers conference

I met a woman face-to-face that 

friended me on Facebook.

Smiling, she told me,

"When I grow up I want to be just like you."

Smiling, I simply answered,

"We never know where our journey will take us.

We must learn to be happy right where we are.

We must be happy with who we are.

Then we can enjoy our journey

wherever it takes us."

Dreaming of Myrtle Beach, SC

God has given each of us a unique journey.

Through good times and challenges

your journey will change you, and will influence those around you,

even those you have never met face-to-face.

Always take a moment to encourage those who seem lost,

or someone who just might need a hug.

Now Popcorn must take me for my morning walk,

which is part of my PT.

I wish you oceans of cool summer blessings!

Share each other's burdens,

and in this way

obey the law of Christ.

Galatians 6:2

www.sharonleaf.com

My Hobo Travels to South Carolina for ...

Celebrating an 'early 70th birthday' with my two great kids
August 2015

To know someone here or there with 

whom you feel there is an understanding in spite of 

distances or thoughts  unexpressed -- 
that can make of this earth a garden.

~Goethe~

I recently experienced one of the most favorite weeks of my life.

I began months ago thinking...

 how do I want to celebrate my BIG 70th birthday?

Without a doubt, I knew what I wanted, 

and I shared my special birthday wish with Jesus.

"I want to spend some special time with my two kids...together."

Well, Jesus must have whispered my birthday wish in Rob's ear 

because before I knew it,

Rob was making plans to fly Shawn 

from Springfield, MO to our home in South Carolina.

An overdue reunion was in the making.

The timing was perfect.

  For me.  For Jacquie.  For Shawn.  

And for the sultry southern weather.

Six years since we've been together, 

so our week was filled with laughing, singing, and reminiscing.

We sang.

We pontooned on Lake Murray.
Shawn: "Who are those crazy girls?
Oh, yeah, my sis and niece."

We went to church together.  

We toured South Carolina's capital, Columbia.

A morning tour of Columbia, South Carolina

Then we toured Charleston.

Simply, we had a wild and wonderful week that I will cherish forever.

Thank you, Jesus.  Thank you, Rob.  

And thank you, my sweet Shawn and Jacquie.

All sunshine and sovereign is God,

generous in gifts and glory.

Psalm 84:10

www.sharonleaf.com

www.lifewellnesscenter.com

Put a LITTLE GRAVEL in Your TRAVEL...Lady Travels on Highway 378 to Myrtle Beach

Home of Josh Turner, one of my favorite country singers
Highway 378

Makes me wanna take a back road

Makes me wanna take the long way home...

(a Tim McGraw song)

Last week, my cousin, Vernon Roy, and I took a road trip to Myrtle Beach.  Highway 378 is a road that has been around years before the interstates were built.  I drive 378 from Lexington to Sumter because I prefer roads and highways to the faster interstates.  Why?  Because you get the feel of the countryside and the little towns along the way.  And at my young age of 67, I'm in no hurry to get to the next town.  I enjoy the moment.  Try it.  You'll like it.

FYI:  Highway 378 will take you all the way to Myrtle Beach.

My last trip to MB was three months ago with my cousin, Ronnie; we were meeting our cousins, Judy and Bettie, for lunch.  This time the trip with Vernon was more somber.  We were meeting Bettie at the hospital to visit Judy who recently had a major stroke and was paralyzed.  We were greeted by Judy's smile and her funny stories about her stay in the hospital.  Then we laughed about the time ...

...  I was in sixth grade and my family drove from California to South Carolina for a three-week Christmas vacation.  I stayed a few days in Sumter with Judy, and when her mother announced we were having fried chicken for dinner, I followed her outside, thinking we were going to walk down the road to the local Piggly Wiggly to buy a chicken.   Suddenly she grabbed an ax and I watched in horror as she proceeded to chop off a chicken's head (needless to say, that evening I had a difficult time eating one of their pets)... 

... The laughter we shared gave us strength to get through the heartache of seeing our cousin lying helpless in a hospital bed.  Before we said our good-byes, I asked Judy, "May we pray for you?"  As I prayed, peace filled the room, and our tears felt like tears of hope.  We are believing for Judy's miracle from God.

Travel TiP:  Laughter AND Prayer is good for the soul.  Remember that the next time you visit someone in the hospital.

The two hour drive back to Sumter gave Vernon and I some 'cousin time' to walk down memory lane.    As we drove along, something felt familiar.   Then suddenly out of nowhere,  a big sign on the right side of the highway caught my attention. "Josh Turner!"** I exclaimed.  Vernon quickly asked, "Do you want me to pull over so you can take a picture?"  Vernon has gotten to know me quite well since I moved to South Carolina seven years ago.  Although we only get together a few times a year, he has learned to read my body language, especially when I pull out my iPhone to take a picture...a dead give-away.

Travel TiP:  Take time to smell the roses and read the signs--and take pictures!  It's the little things that mean a lot, and I thank Vernon for having the patience to pull over for me to click about ten shots of this sign.  Yes, rich and famous people are born in small southern towns.  And I feel that this sign was a smile from God, letting us know that the whole world is in His hands, especially our sweet cousin, Judy.

By faith

we understand that the entire universe

was formed by God's command,

that what we now see

 did not come from anything that can be seen.

Hebrews 11:8-10 NLT

You may apply all above Travel TiPs to any state or country you visit.

I wish you oceans of blessings and smooth sailing for your Autumn days

www.sharonleaf.com

** BTW: Quick story:  The first time Jacquie came to visit me seven years ago (before she moved to Lexington),  I accidentally took Highway 378 to Myrtle Beach, which takes twice as long as driving on I-20east...but hey, it was my first time driving to MB!  Jacquie and I did see the Josh Turner sign, but that was before I had a smart phone, and I never thought I'd be traveling down that road again.  But here's the proof!  *smile*

Put a little gravel in YOUR travel

Lady Travels to Myrtle Beach on Southern Back Roads

Lady Leaf at Myrtle Beach

I always look forward to spending time with my Carolina cousins, whether we hook up in Sumter, Florence, or Myrtle Beach.  But this time was special because I drove to my cousin Ronnie's, who lives in Bishopville, and he drove us to Myrtle Beach, not via Interstate 20 or Highway 378, but down long, winding southern roads.  What a treat!  My southern accent kicked in immediately.

As Ronnie headed his big red GMC truck to the countryside, he pointed to a little corner cafe.  "See that?"  I blinked and almost missed it.  "Every morning I meet my buddies of 25 years there and we sit in a circle and talk about...well, just about everything."  Something out of Mayberry, I thought.  As we continued down the road, I noticed that he kept shooing flies with his left hand.  I was getting ready to ask him what was the deal with the flies when he said,  "I'm waving to my friends."  It seems that after all the years living in a small town, everyone knows everybody.  Well, I guess that's a good thing.  I'll ask him next time.

"This used to be tobacco country; now there's corn, soy beans, and other vegetables growing."  Tobacco to textiles to farmland.  Beautifully green and welcoming.  Horses and goats grazing.  Big, old houses built in the 1800's at the end of long dirt roads.  Newer, modern brick homes at the end of long paved driveways.  And trees everywhere, as far as the eye can see.  A little bit of everything.  There's room for everyone.  Black or white.  Rich or poor.

Too soon, we were in Conway, a few miles from Myrtle Beach, and traffic to compare with the Southern California freeways.  Bumper to bumper, thousands were heading for the ocean to escape the heat.  For us, we were heading to Magnolia's to meet up with the rest of the cousins.  Heat and traffic behind, we shared stories and laughter over some mighty fine southern cookin'.

Thank you, cousin Ronnie, for a drive back in time as we talked about our mothers--who were sisters--and the sweet southern legacy they left us.  These moments don't happen often, but when they do, I inhale every moment.

I encourage you to cherish the moments that God has given you this summer, whether with family or friends, you are making memories.  Make them good ones.

Until next time, I wish y'all smooth sailing down memory lane.

Beach your cousins well!

www.sharonleaf.com