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The Road Less Traveled

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth.

Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same.

And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.

I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I--
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.

~ Robert Frost

Friendship ~ Love

Friendship is a quiet walk in the park with the one you trust

Love is when you feel like you are the only two around.

Friendship is when they gaze into your eyes and you know they care.

Love is when they gaze into your eyes and it warms your heart.

Friendship is being close even when you are far apart.

Love is when you can still feel their hand on your heart when they are not near.

Friendship is hoping that they experience the very best.

Love is when you bring them the very best.

Friendship occupies your mind.

Love occupies your soul.

Friendship is knowing that you will always try to be there when in need.

Love is when you will give up everything to be at their side.

Friendship is a warm smile in the winter.

Love is a warming touch that sends a pulse through your heart.

Love is a beautiful smile to which nothing compares:

A tender laugh, which opens your heart,

A single touch that melts away your fears,

A smell that reminds you of the tenderness of heaven,

A voice that reminds you of the innocence of youth.

Friendship can survive without love.

Love cannot live without friendship.

~ Author Unknown .

Copyright (©) 2010 - 2020

The Time Of Your Life~

DSC00806 150x150  The Time Of Your Life~  117 150x150  The Time Of Your Life~  DSC00710 150x150  The Time Of Your Life~

 Ahhh… the glory of knowing, without any wavering doubt;

Life Is Truly What We Believe It To Be.

People are ultimately good, if we look for the good; Miracles happen daily, if we only open our eyes; Love conquers evil, if we only believe.

Belief is a gift to become empowered by, it is a moment in time spent reveling in the impossible and knowing that the impossible has become reality. It is an acceptance of who we truly are and who we see ourselves becoming.

We are the culmination of all that we dream and believe ourselves to be.

One life is all we have and we live it as we believe in living it. But to sacrifice what you are and to live without belief, that is a fate more terrible than dying.          ~ Joan of Arc

        Live your beliefs and you can turn the world around.   ~Henry David Thoreau

With belief comes recognition, recognition that our lives have a purpose and a reason for existing. It is not just a random draw; it is with purpose and dedication and perseverance that we mold our lives into what makes us happy and content. We fulfill our purpose by first recognizing and acknowledging what this entails for us.

As we strive to persevere and find love, joy and happiness; we must also realize that life is indeed fragile and that it must be respected and honored and celebrated.

Life is our most precious gift.

~ Live Life ~

No love, no friendship can cross the path of our destiny without leaving some mark on it forever.

~Francois Muriac

To all my childhood friends: You will be in my heart forver. ~ Thank You!!

Plains  The Time Of Your Life~

A Man And His Boat ~

IMG 16231 150x150 A Man And His Boat ~  boat sunrise 150x150 A Man And His Boat ~  IMG 1635 150x150 A Man And His Boat ~

As the sun rises on the horizon… I wonder

Where will this day lead?

What joys will I behold?

As it begins its ascent… rising higher

I pause to reflect.

A man and his boat

Looking for adventure…

Dreaming, Hoping and Enjoying.

When will we realize

That we only truly live

If we take each day and truly breathe…

Breathe in the salty smell of the sea

Breathe in the excitement of the chase

Breathe in the moments…

Experience the all.

A man and his boat

Looking ahead…

Expecting, Believing and Delighting.

Dreams and Sunsets ~

 IMG 0110 150x150 Dreams and Sunsets ~ IMG 0202 150x150 Dreams and Sunsets ~ Key West and Germany 0101 150x150 Dreams and Sunsets ~

What is it that makes us fall in love with romantic novels, beautiful love songs and sunsets over beaches?

We stop, grab our cameras or just stare into the horizon and hold our breath as we wait for the precise moment when the sun disappears into the ocean. The color hues may vary but the transcendental moment that engulfs us is a memory we lock away forever.

I can’t imagine having never seen a sunset, never witnessing the deep colors, the tranquility and the magic that is present when each day fades into dusk but more than that I cannot imagine being given the opportunity to experince life and choosing instead to not look or feel.

 Today I woke up counting my blessings.

He who can no longer pause to wonder and stand rapt in awe, is as good as dead; his eyes are closed. ~Albert Einstein

The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched. They must be felt within the heart.     ~ Helen Keller

Write it on your heart that every day is the best day in the year.
~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

There are two ways to live: you can live as if nothing is a miracle; you can live as if everything is a miracle.    ~ Albert Einstein 

Louis Daniel Armstrong(August 4, 1901 - July 6, 1971) was an American jazz trumpeter and singer from New Orleans, Louisiana. His nickname was Satchmo or Satch. He received this nickname in 1932 from magazine editor Percy Brooks who greeted him in London with “Hello Satchmo” and it stuck.

Armstrong was paid scale of $250 for his recording to make sure the orchestra got paid.

An Affair Of The Heart ~

IMG 0185 150x150 An Affair Of The Heart ~

You gave me a moment to hold in my mind

You gave me a rainbow to hope and to find

You showed me tomorrow,  if I’d take a chance

You made me feel laughter and gave me romance

You captured my soul,  when love got its start.

I dreamed of forever…

An Affair Of The Heart.

Your love opened windows and set my mind free

I dreamed of what should be and what was meant to be.

An exceptional romantic, in the ballet of life

A heartened awakening, in the ways of our strife.

A touch and a prayer, a hope and a dream

Laughter and music, a wonderous Scheme.

Deep in my soul, a long burning fire

Forever and Always…

An Affair Of The Heart.

Sail Away

114 150x150 Sail Away

Sail Away

Sail Away ~ Far Into The Sea of Love.

Drift Slowly Into A Wave Of Turmoil,

Listen To The Seagulls As They Cry In Pain.

Watch As Your Life

Free To Twist And Turn With The Wind

Falls Short Of Your Dreams

And Never Quite Works Out

Like Promises Say It Will.

Careful Now ~ Don’t Give In

Like A Ship Rocked By The Winds And Waves

Each Day Will One Day Brighten

When A Harbor Of Hope Is Finally Found.

Time, Time Ticking ~

DSC006061 Time, Time Ticking ~

“ Time, time ticking. It’s ticking away.”

In the scheme of things, time is relative. It is relative to where we are and what we are doing and how we feel and what we dream and what we hope and if this happens and if this doesn’t and what if and whenever and whatever and however.

time Time, Time Ticking ~    Lost, yesterday, somewhere between sunrise and sunset, two golden hours.   Each set with 60 diamond minutes. No reward is offered… for they are gone forever.          ~ Horace Mann

Time seems to pass differently for each of us. It varies, depending on our age, our enjoyment of the moment and how we process “this time verses that” in our mind. Time has a way of rewriting the stories, of easing the pains and magnifying the celebrations. It has a way of healing our hearts and comforting our souls.

Scientifically, Einstein proved that time is relative to motion, not relative to individual perceptions. It has been proven in experiments that stopwatches in supersonic jets run slower that ones on the ground. Thus, it is proven that time is relative to speed.

Einstein believed that if we could build a machine that would reach the speed of light, time would theoretically stand still for the people aboard it.

Taking it one step farther, it seems possible to rewind time. Hummm…

I ask myself… What would I do differently if I could go back and do it all again?

What would be my most important goal in life? Would I treat the ones I love with admiration and respect? Would I tell the ones I love how much they mean to me on a daily basis? Would I take the time to enjoy the wonderful gifts that God has given us here on this beautiful earth?

Would I greet each day with a smile and a thank you? Would I enjoy the moments? Would I know that I am truly blessed?

Would I live my life in a way that I would not change a thing if I could go back and do it all again?

That is my hope…

Life is our most precious gift…. Live Life.

Zwei Herzen, eine Liebe, für immer ~

gypsycamper2 225x300 Zwei Herzen, eine Liebe, für immer ~

(Two Hearts One Love Forever)

I am in love with a man who has found serenity and contentment in his life.

I am thankful to have met him at this juncture and appreciate all of the wisdom he is able to share with me.

We met on a path that has proven to be unpredictable, spontaneous, and much more than I could ever have imagined it to be. We have been on this trip around the sun for over 10 years now. Years full of love, laughter, music and song.

We have embraced all that we have dreamed possible and so many many more things that we could never have foreseen or expected. We have traveled like Vagabonds from the West coast to the East Coast and many places in between.

We have dreamed together, loved together and cried together. We have seen wonders that are so full of beauty that in describing them to others, part of the luster always falls by the wayside.

Our lives are whirling by with so many momentous moments that it is hard to keep track of when we did this and when we did that.

On this juncture, we are exploring the Southwest corner of the states during the hottest months of the year….. but as always we are giving it our all and living and loving and hoping and sharing as we embrace all that is before us.

Today I’m dreaming of the ocean, dreaming of a gypsy fire, a gypsy home and a gypsy tale. A tale that embraces the whole and expects nothing in return.

Today I am dreaming of love and laughter.

Today I am embracing our love.

A Good Man ~

DSC02901 150x150  A Good Man ~  DSC02895 150x150  A Good Man ~     DSC02903 150x150  A Good Man ~

I’ve been told that each lifetime is full of lost opportunities; Lost opportunities to show love and lost opportunities to give love.

I have been reminded that we can never go back and retrace our steps, that we can never redo or make up for lost opportunities. We can only go forward, hopefully learn from the past and live for the future in a way that brings joy to our soul.

One way we can make a difference is by living a life that will make people smile when they remember. We can live each day thinking of the good instead of dwelling on the imperfect. We can strive to make others feel loved and important, happy and secure.

This is for you, my love, the one that always makes me remember and always charms me with your smile.

A Good Man ~

“You’ll grow up to be a good man”

You heard your Mother say.

“Be courageous and take life easy

As you travel on your way.”

So you live your life with direction

Loving people as you go.

And you never meet a stranger

As you draw them like a magnet

Into your way of seeing the world.

  “Yes, You are a good man”

I whisper,

As you hold me in your arms.

You give my life direction

And lift me when I fall.

You walk along beside me

As we venture on our way.

I know I’ll always love you

Forever and Always.

I see your eyes light up with laughter

I feel your heart exclaim

I see the love you give to others

As we ramble on our way.

As our story unfolds

And the years flow quickly past

I’ll  remember all these moments

Of love and happiness.

“Yes, You are a good man”,

I’ve heard so many say

As we live and love and laugh and smile

 Loving the excitement

Enjoying the ride.

We rely upon your honor,

Your chivalry and your care

And I know without a doubt

Your love is always here.

Yes, you are a good man,

I’ll believe it ‘til I die.

That, my love, is the reason

I am committed to our life.

 Forever and Always ~ I will love you.

 Tammy

Those Red Dirt Roads ~

ga road 150x127 Those Red Dirt Roads ~

Those Red Dirt Roads take me back in time,

They fill my senses with wonder and engulf my mind.

Back to a moment, a time in the past,

A season full of laughter that flew by too fast.

I know in an instant,

Things will never be the same.

Replays of the moments,

Memories of the mistakes.

On those Red Dirt Roads of my past,

First times and lost times,

The molds were all cast.

Friendships like beacons,

Shine a light on my dreams,

Uplift my heart with remembrance of wonderful things.

One moment the footprints are visibly clear,

The next they’re but shadows and have all disappeared.

The hurts and the triumphs are but one and the same,

While the moments and the memories are all that remain.

                                                                                      ~ Tammy

 The language of friendship is not words but meaning.                                                   ~ Henry David Thoreau

Goodbye My Friend ~ April 4, 2016

Scan 201604202 300x193 Goodbye My Friend ~ April 4, 2016

Lifetimes are made up of memories,

Memories become our life.

Dreams are heartfelt wishes

And places in the past become embedded in our soul.

As I  listen to the waves crash on the shore.

I am grateful,

Grateful to have had you in my life.

The calming sound of the waves

Brings a kind of peace to my soul

And I know…

I know memories are our lifeline,

They sustain us and protect our heart.

I know I will remember

I’ll always remember.

And though my heart is hurting

I won’t dwell on the sorrow your passing has caused.

I won’t let my heart harden,

Or allow it to become shallow and empty.

I will reflect on the memories

What a wondrous collection of memories!

All good – I can’t think of one bad.

Only fun-filled times and adventures and happiness and joy.

When I think of you…

I will smile,

I will remember,

I will  cry no more.

~ Tammy

 

Lost on a back road, somewhere between Panama City and Plains, I found myself thinking how much my friend would have loved this. He would have loved the fact that we were cruising along without a clue where we would end up. He would have loved all of the memories that this day was bringing to the forefront. He would have loved the fact that, in only a few hours, friends and family would gather to honor him and celebrate his life.

My friend had quite a life to celebrate. He had quite a life to look back on with happiness and should be proud of how his life has touched so many people in so many different walks of life. My friend was many things to many different people. He was a son, a brother, a husband, a father, a police officer, a community leader, a biker, a photographer, and mainly a friend to all who were a part of his world. My friend Keith, who I always called Red,  loved the simple things in life and always made time to enjoy them.

Red spent his lifetime gathering friends to his side and put much more emphasis on these friends than other worldly, material treasures. He welcomed us all into his world with his hearty, bellowing laugh that rang out with pure joy and happiness. He greeted each day with a childlike enthusiasm and closed each down by watching and often time recording the beauty of the sunsets.

Red loved photographing lighthouses and  I correlated this to his outlook on life. Red was steadfast and constant and dependable. He was an ever fixed mark. Our friendship, like a lighthouse, was perpetual and ever burning, helping me through turbulent times and shining bright with encouragement.  I am blessed – I have had friendships that are a constant in my life. They are magnificent. They give off warmth and a glow that leads myself and others into their safety net and leads us away from the turbulent waters and rocks.

To live is the rarest thing in life… Most people exist, that is all.                                                                         ~ Oscar Wilde

The language of friendship is not words but meanings.                                                                    ~ Henry David Thoreau

No love, no friendship, can cross the path of our destiny without leaving some mark on it forever.                                                                 ~ Francois Muriac

Does thou love life? Then do not squander time, for that is the stuff life is made of. ~ Ben Franklin

I found myself trying to recall the exact moment our paths had crossed.I wanted so bad to remember the exact moment we met.  I couldn’t – it seems he was always there. In reflecting back, it must have been the summer of my 8th grade school year around 1975 when I was only 13 years old. That summer was momentous in my life. It was then that I met my friend, my brother, the one person who never judged me, was always routing for me and who later became my link to the carefree days of my youth.

My friend, Red, was a constant during my formative years. He was at my house as much as he was at his own. We were closer than brother and sister and helped each other through our heartbreaks, problems with parents and all of the other trivialities that formed our lives.

Whenever I could not come out and play, Red was always there to load Jack Daniels and cigarettes into my makeshift pulley that I pulled up to my upstairs balcony.

He was always there to give me a ride to the bridge or the poker house or wherever we all decided to meet up.

He was always there right before any date I had just in time to take his hand and mess up my hair (he had to make sure I didn’t take myself too seriously!).

With Red, I learned the correct way to chug Miller Ponies from the tailgate of his pickup truck. With Red, I learned about getting stuck on lonely red dirt roads. Mainly I learned valuable life lessons about laughter and honesty and enjoying the ride.

I remember sneaking out of the Americus movie theater and going to Monroe’s to watch the boys shoot pool and sample the best hotdogs in the world. I remember how much fun concerts could be when you are young and with friends who seem to be the most important things in your life. I remember how much fun we had and all of our escapades when Jimmy Carter ran for president. I remember skipping school and drinking Billy Beer and how fearless and cool we all seemed to be. I remember the pool parties we had and the visits to the graveyard. I remember bear hunting in North Georgia, the famous “lost car” trip to Daytona Beach and watching Marshall Tucker @ Six Flags or Wild Adventures. Not for sure where, but it sure was fun!

I remember all the trips we took to Atlanta to visit Mary Evelyn, Red’s one true love, and all of our crazy adventures there and back home. I remember all the trips back to Plains to visit Red and Mary Evelyn and how Mary always allowed me and Red to remain friends without a bit of jealously or distrust. I remember how she welcomed me into their home and world after the two of them  were married. More recently I remember us all dancing @ Harry A’s and Fathoms in Florida and our trips to the farmhouse.

I remember how our group of friends all promised to not let life turn us old and bitter and full of regret. I remember how we vowed to never lose touch. I am thankful to say that Red and I kept that promise. I am thankful that throughout the twists and turns of our lives we both knew that we were loved and that we were truly lifelong friends.

Red was my oldest and dearest friend. To this day, whenever I hear “Drift Away”  I think of Red and drift back to Plains and  remember the wonderful, carefree days gone by. Thank you Red for all of the crazy, fun filled memories that always make me smile.