"The Views To Love..."

"Same Gender Loving People - No. 6213"

"Love Opens Your Heart To So Much More..."

Positive images of people like me... The truth of the matter is that we all need to see people like ourselves. So every day, I'll post a photo, drawing or some other artwork that depicts Same Gender Loving People as what we are... Only Human.

"Same Gender Loving People - No. 6203"

"Love Grows..."

Positive images of people like me... The truth of the matter is that we all need to see people like ourselves. So every day, I'll post a photo, drawing or some other artwork that depicts Same Gender Loving People as what we are... Only Human.

"The Color Of Love..."

"I Am Always Remembering..."

As shoppers flooded their local Walmart yesterday, I was remembering all of the holiday seasons of my life that began with a trip to Kmart after Thanksgiving. Kmart was the first retailer to claim the title from Sears of the world's largest retailer. What many who even remember this retail juggernaut may not know about the now long gone Kmart is that it was founded by the Detroit based S.S. Kresge Company, a five and dime that was an early competitor to the also long gone F.W. Woolworth Company.

For me, there's not much holiday shopping to be done anymore. My children are all grown and gone, even grandchildren are grown. My parents and half of my siblings have passed through the veil already, and now I'm left with mostly memories of holidays past; many were joyous and even more were incredibly painful, lonely and depressing. At this point in my life, I try to focus on the better memories that persist in my mind's eye. And among these were the many holiday shopping trips to Kmart, Sears, and J.L. Hudson's (corporate predecessor of Target).

This lovely video takes me right back to 1974 and a holiday trip to Kmart Store No. 1 in Garden City, Michigan with my mother. Of all the shopping choices we had back in those days, Kmart was always my favorite. Their stores were bright and open back then and the selection while not always the best you could buy was nevertheless always good value for the money. It had to be, because back then they made the same promise as Sears, "Satisfaction Guaranteed." 

When I think about how much things have changed over the years, I marvel at the fact that there will grown folks reading this who don't even know about Sears, Kmart and the many other stores that were the places that brought Christmas dreams to life for generations. At this stage in my life, material things are not so important anymore; there are very few things I want that I don't have. 

 

Now my Christmas dreams are found in pleasant memories of days gone by; of the seasons in the past when life was simpler, easier and occasionally quite sweet. I'll spend most of this holiday season remembering the smiles on the faces of my sons when "Santa" made all their dreams come true, and of one special Christmas when the beloved one brought me that same joy.

"I am always remembering..."

"I Am Always Remembering..."

"I Am Always Remembering..."

"The Dreams Of Men Still Young..."

"Selfie Love..."

"Selfie Love" - those beautiful, grainy, out-of-focus self-pics that capture the truth of true love..."

"Same Gender Loving People - No. 5962"

"Love Is A Growing Heart..."

Positive images of people like me... The truth of the matter is that we all need to see people like ourselves. So every day, I'll post a photo, drawing or some other artwork that depicts Same Gender Loving People as what we are... Only Human.

"The Views From Home..."

Greetings from our Home in the Woods*

I think we've managed to add a little curb appeal to the old homestead over the years...

Husband sometimes likes to drink his morning coffee at this little bistro set out front.

This is the view from the upstairs porch outside my office.

I was very pleased that the arborvitae survived the winter and are thriving

This is actually one of my favorite places to sit in the garden

"Husband looking satisfied with the garden"

The gazebo was a gift for husband last year, he can be found out there most of the day when the weather is really nice like it has been for the last few days.

This is the view from my favorite spot.

On quiet days, I can hear the water in the fountain gently gurgling as the wind chimes are singing in the summer breeze.

 

This old planter was found on the side of the road too many years ago to remember now, but every other year or so, it gets a fresh coat of paint. It now has sentimental value since every year on the first day of school, I'd take a picture of our sons flanking this old Grecian urn. The boys are all grown up now and gone from home, in fact the oldest celebrated his 42nd birthday on Saturday. Since my brother passed away, it's just husband and me and kitty makes three.

More views from home coming this fall, until then if you're in the neighborhood come by and sit a spell in the garden at our home in the woods.

* Our home is right in the city proper, but I like to call it "Our home in the woods" as an homage to our subdivision's name, Russell Woods.