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Posts tagged ‘Animals’

Free to “Bee”

It’s a different kind of Independence Day weekend in the USA. Our little town of Ennis WILL have its annual rodeo tonight. Social distancing is easy in that outdoor venue. But we will not have the 4th of July parade. Our population of 1,000 grows on that day to about 6,000 typically – and the sidewalks are wall-to-wall people. So for public safety, it was cancelled. We are free to just BEE this year… and grateful to bee alive!

The rodeo will happen as usual, but the crowd will be greatly diminished.

We’ll miss the parade, but we’ll celebrate here at home –
quietly thanking God for our freedom and renewed health.

Yesterday Bob was delighted to be able to spend a day on the Madison River with our friend, Scott. The fishing was good – and the weather was beautiful. The wildlife were out enjoying the sunshine, too.

Scott took this picture of the moose who entertained the fishermen.

He managed to get four of the five fox babies in one photo. He said they were quite entertaining!

Yesterday while Bob was out fishing and I was recuperating from my surgery, a couple of my girlfriends and a dear couple from our church made sure I was well taken care of. Terry (on the left) made bran muffins for my breakfast and gave me a darling, soft and cuddly angel blanket. Elaine (on the right) brought lunch and we shared it as we visited for a couple of hours. Then later in the day other friends brought us a delicious dinner of ham and scalloped potatoes, salad, and cookies for dessert. Yum!!!

Today is Terry’s birthday! Happy Birthday to my sweet, beautiful friend.<3

I know I am super blessed to have such wonderful friends.
I hope you are equally gifted.

Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

On another topic, you may have noticed that yesterday’s blog “Learn to Say NO,” with a series of Haiku was all in capital letters. I was not intending to shout at you. I was just trying to enlarge this font that WordPress suddenly has decided to use as a default. I found out how to enlarge the first letter in each new text entry. That’s fun, but do you have advice for how I can default back to a larger text for the body of my posts?

I hope you’re having a fun-filled weekend…
even if it’s not the typical Independence Day celebration.
Happy 4th of July weekend!

Celebrate your FREEDOM to BEE!
See ya tomorrow.
Love from JanBeek

Category:

Animals, blessings, Family, Fishing, friendship, Giving, Gratitude, health, Living in Christ's Family, Love, Montana, nature, relationships, Serving One Another

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Let’s Go Swiss

A couple of months ago we took a little stroll through my home state, Montana, via the lenses of several very talented photographers.

Then the next day I invited you to Switzerland where our daughter, DeAna, lives with her husband and family. It’s our go-to place when we have saved up enough to travel… and are free to do so. Three of our grandchildren are there. Of course, it’s a wonderful place to “have to” go!!

Today in my “Antelope and Attitude” post I told you I dream of traveling in 2021 back to Switzerland. For my new followers, I dug out this old post and decided to update it and let you see why I love Switzerland so much.

We sat on a patio with this view eating raclette with our daughter last time we visited her in Sierre, Switzerland, spring of 2018.
We visited that quaint village and attended the wedding of a Swiss friend.
Here are our three Swiss grandsons, Mike, Nick & Chris. That was several years ago when we visited at Christmas time. They’ve changed considerably since then!
Here’s their mom, our daughter. DeDe. Such a sweetheart! She never changes.
Her sons, on the other hand, do! But, okay, let’s look at some of their Swiss scenery. That’s why you came, right?
The lakes are sites to behold!
Castles are plentiful!
Riding in the car with my son-in-law driving on these switchbacks is an experience to remember!!
Flowers in springtime are everywhere!
Towns often were built almost to resemble fortresses.
Grape vineyards border towns and cities where the ground is fertile.
How they built castles on such high, rocky mountain peaks is beyond me!
Every square inch of the sunny mountainsides of Switzerland is terraced and planted with grapes. (This is Lake Geneva). It is near Valais, the canton where De & Andre’ live).
The lakes in Switzerland are numerous, clear, clean and so picturesque!
Castles in Switzerland are plentiful and always points of great travel interest.
In every town and village, the church steeple is always the highest point!
The way they tuck houses into crevices is amazing!!
Trains are a wonderful way to see Switzerland.
You can set your clocks by the trains and their arrival/departures.
The train system is amazing in Switzerland. Andre’s uncle was an engineer who helped design some of these bridges!
Mmmm… Cheese Fondue!
Delicious melted cheese with potatoes, pickles and onions
is “the best” delicacy of Valais! (Of course that’s in my biased opinion).
Raclette is my favorite Swiss cheese.
I love the Swiss cows. We have one of the queen cowbells hanging in our kitchen here in Montana!! I’ll show you that another time.
We usually visit in springtime or in winter (Bob loves to ski), but autumn is a gorgeous time in Switzerland, too.
The Matterhorn is one of Switzerland’s most famous landmarks.
This year De & Andre’ were working at a mountaintop restaurant at a ski resort where the only access was by chairlift. Can you imagine the views??
I love the springtime the most. Flowers are everywhere and the mountains are green and alive.
Oh, here are some more of those gorgeous Swiss cows!
Switzerland is beautiful in every season!
Thank you for visiting a few scenes with me. Thank you to #IloveSwitzerland for most of the images. Some are mine, though. Isn’t it an amazing country?
This is my oldest grandson, Mike with his significant other, Tania. We can hardly wait til the next time we get to go and visit with them. Kids grow up so fast, don’t they?
Doesn’t matter what season it is, we know our “DollyWolly” will be there to greet us!!

Thanks for visiting with me for a while. Hopefully someday we will go back… and I hope you can visit Switzerland for real yourself someday, too.

The Lord be with you and keep you safe.

Have a Wonderful Wednesday!
See ya later!

Category:

blessings, children, Family, flowers, food, holidays, Love, mountains, nature, photography, relationships, Travel

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Antelope and Attitudes!

Antelope are adorable in the field…

… but they need to stay out there!
No, Annie, don’t come down our driveway!

Yesterday we had a beautiful bed of red petunias in our wheelbarrow…

This morning the blossoms were gone!
See that chewed off stem there?
Darn those antelope!
My attitude toward them today is not very loving.

Fortunately, they left the geraniums alone.

And they don’t seem interested in the columbine…

…or these sweet yellow ones ( I think they’re lilies).

So, while I may be dismayed
over the loss of our petunia blossoms,
I still have reason to be happy, right?

I found a new book yesterday.
It’s a type of journal.
I’m going to have fun with it:

I don’t have much to stress over,
besides stray, hungry antelope,
but life always throws us curves, right?
It’s always a challenge to stay calm when trouble strikes,
and achieving balance is a constant pursuit for me.

So the topics in this little book
caught my eye…
especially the “Stay Positive”
and
“Dream.”

Set your plans for the year ahead,
And then make them happen.

Yes!
One way to be happy and find joy in life is to dream.
Live in the NOW, but
never stop dreaming about a better tomorrow.


I signed up for Bob Goff’s “Dream Big” Workshop.
Do you have big dreams?
You’re never too old to dream big, you know.
At age 80 and 81, Bob & I find that
our dreams keep life moving forward!

I am dreaming
of a trip in the spring of 2021
to Switzerland
to visit our daughter and her family.

I took this picture on one of our previous trips,
high in the Alps at a restaurant overlooking their valley.

I dream of the day
when it will be safe to travel,
to freely socialize,
and to gather with friends again
to enjoy our pastimes.

Enhance your life with a pastime that lifts your soul.

What pastime lifts your soul?
I love writing (can’t you tell?)
and your responses to my daily posts
lift my soul.

I also love music 🎶 –
both listening to it –
as well as playing my accordion
and playing in the bell choir.

I enjoy playing for friends at our Madison Valley Nursing Home,
however with this pandemic, they are off-limits now.
But they are safe… no cases of COVID-19 there.
Keep looking at the bright side.
Thank God for their health and ours!

We can’t gather as a group to practice our bells right now.
But, think positively!
This pandemic can’t last forever!
I pray daily for a vaccine or an effective treatment.

Think Can’s – Not Can’ts

Don’t dwell on the “can’ts”…
Concentrate on the “cans!”

I CAN enjoy this beautiful day
and go for a walk with TazE
in Lion’s Club Park
along the gorgeous Madison River.

I CAN meet new friends,
chat with this adorable little girl,
get acquainted with her mom,
and keep social distance at the same time.

I’m not standing as close as the picture looks!
I edited it so you’d get a good look at that little cutie.

Lion’s Club Park has this great little lake
where kids can fish and keep ’em.
Our Madison River is a “Catch and Release” only.
Today the fish were jumping.
I CAN enjoy this beautiful day!!

I CAN visit with my family in Switzerland via social media.
Thank God for the internet!
We got to share Andre’s birthday with him via the computer.
Doesn’t his smile make you smile?

Andre’ Solioz, my son-in-law

Happy Birthday, Andre’

Heck, when Bob and I were dating back in the 50’s,
and he was stationed in Germany,
it took two weeks to get a letter to him…
and another two weeks to get a response.
No such thing as computers –
and phone calls were too expensive!

Think of how blessed we are today!
Instant communication!

Back home, the lawn is mowed.
The grass is going to green up again
because the automatic sprinklers will water it
and the sun is shining to encourage it.
Thank you, Bob, for your work on the mower yesterday.
(Don’t you love his creative designs?)

This is livin’

Today Bob is out fishin’ …
Summertime, and the livin’ is easy!
Fish are bitin’ and the …

How does that song go?
Let me leave you singing it.

Guard your flowers…
and watch your attitude!

Every day is so full of blessings.
Count them!

See you tomorrow.
Love, JanBeek

Category:

blessings, children, contentment, Family, Fishing, flowers, God, Gratitude, happiness, Life's Challenges, Living in Harmony, Love, Montana, mountains, music, peace, photography, relationships

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Music from Switzerland

Our daughter, DeAna, sent us this video this morning of her duet with Sylviane, her “Swisster.” It warms my heart to see and hear them singing together. De is the one in red.

“Syli” (as we nicknamed her) lived in our home/became our daughter and De’s “Swisster” in Modesto, CA when De was a senior in high school. DeAna then lived with Syli’s family in Sierre, Switzerland the next year. When she came home, she brought Syli’s first cousin, Andre’, home with her! They were married a year later.

Seeing and hearing these two sing together is such a joy!
(Sit back a couple minutes and enjoy)

De & her “Swisster”

Our grandson, Chris, was named after Syli’s brother, Christian.
Christian was our AFS exchange student in 1980-81.
That’s how this whole Swiss connection got started.

If you have followed my blog for awhile,
you met our grandson, Chrissy,
when he came to Montana last year
and attended the Job Corps program.

And you saw Chris
with his girlfriend, Natalia from Colombia,
in this related post:

Love on the Internet

In this next video, De and Chrissy are singing a duet to Natalia.

It’s a beautiful day here in Montana – and a wonderful way to start the day with these videos from my DeDe. I hope you enjoy them, too.

Here’s my view yesterday afternoon.
Today the clouds are gone and the sky is blue blue blue:

Those antelope babies I showed you a couple days ago were back yesterday afternoon, crossing that field between us and the “next door” neighbors. We call that path “The Antelope Highway.”

Look carefully. There are four little ones with a yearling. That one trailing is not old enough to be the mama. Must be a babysitter!

One of the little ones ran on ahead. They are so cute!
OK, enough cuteness for this morning…
I gotta get busy.

Bob just left to go fishing, and…
my Writers’ Group is coming to the house this morning.
It’ll be our first meeting since all this COVID-19 stuff.
We can socially distance in my living room.

I’ll tell you all about it this afternoon.
Come on back!

See ya later.
Love ya!
JanBeek

Category:

Animals, blessings, children, Family, Living in Harmony, Love, Memories, Montana, music, relationships, Travel

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Where the Deer and the Antelope Play

What did you do today?

We spent the day in Bozeman, Montana. Bob & I had much-overdue dental appointments to get our teeth cleaned. Then we did our grocery shopping, bought a tree to plant at our church where a tree died and needs to be replaced, and then had “linner” (lunch + dinner) before heading home.

It was a rainy drive home.

rainy drive home.JPG

Got rainier as time went by.

Raindrops on window.JPG

When we arrived home, our neighborhood antelope were there to greet us.

Bob w antelope in field.JPG

Look carefully – there’s mama antelope followed by her two babies in the field.

Yesterday I watched them out my living room window.

antelope doe w 2 babies.jpg

A second antelope joined them. She has little ones, too, but they weren’t with her. Probably hiding in the grasses – not too far off.

2 does w 2 baby antelope.jpg

It is such fun to watch them.

A Fun Place to Live

In the picture below, our house is behind those trees… a wonderland for birds – and a haven for us. That field on the left is where the antelope were today.

Home - golden field -Mallards Roost.JPG

Isn’t it fun to live in a neighborhood where the deer and the antelope play? You know that song, right? Home on the Range, a favorite from my childhood.

“Home, home on the range,
Where the deer and the antelope play,
Where seldom is heard a discouraging word,
And the skies are not cloudy all day.”

Sing it with Roy and me:

Do You Remember Roy Rogers?

You may be too young to remember this cowboy – or you’re living in a different part of the world. Roy Rogers was my favorite when I was a child back in the 1940s. As a real treat, my sister and I would go to the Saturday matinee at the little theater in Newman, California. I loved Roy Rogers even more than the Micky Mouse, Bugs Bunny, and Popeye cartoons! That’s really saying something.

Roy’s sidekick was Trigger, his beautiful palomino. His wife, Dale Evans, was his singing partner. As a child, I was sure Dale Evans would grow old and die – but Roy Rogers would never grow old. And after is wife died, then I intended to marry him!

Did you ever have childhood fantasies like I did?

Photo by Donald Tong on Pexels.com

Did you dress up and pretend to be a princess when you were a child? Or did you imagine yourself to be Roy Rogers’ wife and ride away into the wild blue yonder?

Photo by Brett Sayles on Pexels.com

Well, if you dreamed of being a princess on a horse riding off into the wild, blue yonder, come to Montana. This is the place where such dreams come true!

Join us where the deer and the antelope play!

Hope you had a good day.
Tell me about it...
or share a childhood fantasy.


See ya tomorrow.
Hugs, JanBeek

Category:

Animals, children, Living in Harmony, Love, Memories, Montana, music, Travel, trees

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You: Kind, Smart, Important

Yes, you is!!
And you is well, too.
Hooray!!
You is smart like a fox!

Thank you, Paul Holdorf, for your beautiful photography.

Yup. you is so smart –
And you is intelligent –
You make a difference!

You is courageous –
And you is adventuresome –
You is goin’ places!

You is not perfect
But you know perfect moments,
And you make them count!

So now bee grateful
For all that you know you is –
And go change the world!

You is gonna tell
How is you gonna do that…
Tell me one thing NOW!!

Category:

Belief, blessings, Giving, Gratitude, Haiku, humor, Life's Challenges, Love, mental health, peace, Poetry, Serving One Another

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A Fascinating Job

Bob had a student at Hillsdale High School
Back in the 1960’s who now lives in Australia.
Pat Martin-Vegue worked at Marine World USA.

He now lives in Gold Coast, Queensland
He trains and cares for the tigers at Dreamworld Australia
This is a magnificent tiger that Pat raised in his house.

Here is Kai… Pat raised him as a cub …
in a padded, secure, special room in his house.
Pat took this photos of Kai
with one of the other trainers.

You can see more of Pat and his tigers at Pat’s FB page: https://www.facebook.com/patrick.martinvegue

Doesn’t that look like a fascinating job?
I love it that we personally know this great guy!!
Job security during the COVID-19 pandemic:
The tigers must be fed and cared for.
Not just ANYBODY can do that!

Heck, you just throw the meat in his mouth, right?
Ah, there’s more to it than that?
Uh… ya!!
It’s not a job I could handle.
How about YOU?

Coronavirus Springtime at DreamWorld Australia
Social Distancing!

What’s the most fascinating job you’ve ever had?

Mine was teaching K-8
in a juvenile hall near San Francisco,
It was back in the days when
kids waiting for foster care placement
were incarcerated along with older kids
who were jailed because of violent behavior.

But that’s a fascinating story for another day.

Tell me the story of your fascinating job…
or one you know about
because a friend or family member had it.

I’d love to hear from you.
Have a Fabulous Friday.
See ya later.

Tiger hugs from JanBeek – (and Pat ‘n’ Kia)

Category:

Animals, friendship, Love, Memories, pets, photography, relationships, teaching, work

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Launching Lucille

Lucille is our ATV. We named our “all-terrain vehicle” after the popular 1950’s to ’70’s comedian, Lucille Ball, because she has a red head and she’s a “ball!” Look carefully at that photo and you can see Bob, TazE (our Boston Terrier), and me… ready to have a Montana springtime ball!

There I am!!

Just as a ship is launched to the sea,
Bob & I launched Lucille on the mountains today.
It’s not her maiden voyage; she’s a veteran for sure.
But it was her first 2020 opportunity to play.

On our way to North Meadowcreek
in the Tobacco Root Mountains

We went with two other couples;
It’s a good thing we had them along
Because when Bob got stuck in the snow,
Rex was prepared for what went wrong

He had a long rope, and equipment galore-
So he pulled old Lucille out in a flash.
Us gals kept our 6 feet distance and watched.
We didn’t want to intrude or do something brash.

This video shows the end of the trial…
CG pulled the rope by hand at the end,
But Rex used it connected to his ATV
To pull Lucille out – way beyond the bend!

Penny & Rex Hocking

We went to the very top of the mountain
Where the sky was unbelievably blue –
And there we had lunch – a spectacular view –
Wish we could share this four-wheeling ride with you!

Caroline & CG Feldman
Bob and TazE

That snow-covered peak is gorgeous Mt. Baldy.
From here, it’s a much different sight
Than the way it looks from our house
Where it seems rounded and shines ever bright.

Looking east toward the Madison Range
Headed back down the mountain
Beautiful ranch tucked into the hillside
I love seeing the cattle in the field
Newborn lambs with freshly shorn ewes

The weather could not have been
More perfect for this ATV outing.
Life in the Montana mountains is grand!
Keeps me from sitting home – pouting!

TazE hangs out the side, enjoying the views
Back in McAllister
Lucille rides the trailer home
TazE loves taking rides on Lucille,
but now she’s ready to head home now!
Home again…
See Mt. Baldy out there?
I told you it looks rounded from our home.
Strange, huh?

I’m so glad you came to JanBeek today
To join our 2020 launch of Lucille.
Now it’s time to get in the kitchen;
Bob needs a hearty dinner meal.

Photo by Valeria Boltneva on Pexels.com

Bee well!
Bee safe!!
See ya tomorrow.

Category:

blessings, friendship, happiness, Living in Harmony, Love, Montana, mountains, nature, peace, pets, Poetry, relationships, Travel

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Rest!!

Photo by Simon Matzinger on Pexels.com

Holy Saturday:
The Bible says we should rest.
Some call it “Sabbath.”

Luke 23:56
“The women
who had been companions
of Jesus from Galilee
followed along.
They saw the tomb where Jesus’ body was placed.
Then, they went back
to prepare burial spices and perfumes.
They rested quietly on the Sabbath as commanded.”

Photo by Tuesday Temptation on Pexels.com

And the animals
Rested with the rest of us.
Obey the command!

Photo by Ivy Son on Pexels.com

It’s easy for cats –
That’s what they do anyway,
But what of puppies?

Photo by Helena Lopes on Pexels.com

We’re more like puppies:
Resting’s hard for some of us.
We are trained to GO!

Photo by Helena Lopes on Pexels.com

We must sequester;
We must feel like we are trapped
To learn to obey.

Photo by Eternal Happiness on Pexels.com

After Good Friday,
The women went home to rest –
Returning Sunday.

And we, too, must rest
On this day before Easter.
Just stop all your work!

Photo by Andrea Piacquadio on Pexels.com

Find peaceful rest for your soul.
Holy Saturday
Let’s follow the Lead!

Photo by Adrianna Calvo on Pexels.com
Photo by Tomas Ryant on Pexels.com
Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com
Photo by SHAHBAZ AKRAM on Pexels.com
Photo by Andrea Piacquadio on Pexels.com
Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com
Photo by Matthias Cooper on Pexels.com
Photo by Andrea Piacquadio on Pexels.com

Headed off to rest.
It’s a day to do nothing!
See ya tomorrow.

Category:

Animals, Bible Lessons, contentment, Family, Haiku, health, Love, mental health, peace, pets, Poetry, relationships

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Beautiful Montana Photos

Montana is home
It’s a most beautiful state
Photographer’s Dream!

Larry Stolte
Mike Flaherty
Urs Keller
Tom Hartley
Tom Hartley
Shelia Shaw
Jesse Vargas
Curtis Wallace
Ed Coyle
Danette Woods

Montana’s my home
Coming here was our best move
Come and visit us!

The snow is meltng.
I know spring is on its way.
Yes, green is coming!
When COVID-19
Allows us to travel again
Come to Montana!

Thanks for taking a virtual visit with me today
via all these wonderful photographers’ lenses.
I pray for you and your health and safety.
Bee well, my friends, and have a Wonderful Weekend.

Love ya,
JanBeek

Category:

Animals, contentment, Haiku, Living in Harmony, Love, Montana, mountains, nature, photography, Poetry, Travel

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