Yesterday’s retirement adventure began with my picking up a couple of crochet pieces I had asked to be made.  The lady that was making them for me had an accident right after I asked her to make them and had amnesia for several years.  She is recovering nicely and came across the piece I loaned her to replicate.  I was so surprised when she called.  I had almost forgotten about them.

The pieces are antimacassars for the backs of my Queen Anne chairs in the living room.  I had the chairs recovered several years ago and wanted the crochet pieces to protect them from dirt and dust.  And so several years later I have my antimacassars.  (I just love that word, don’t you?)

I then dropped off a bowl of chili to my friend whose wife died last year.  He is in a heavy mourning and is severely depressed.  I like to drop him off something every once in a while just so I know he eats something.  He never answers the door but always calls me after he eats whatever I take him.

I was running kind of early so I decided to go take a picture of a tree I had been admiring.  It was just beyond Garnet’s house and I knew I had time.  I was in luck because two ladies were out raking around the tree.  I stopped and grabbed my camera and walked toward them.  They looked at me inquiringly.  I told them my name and that I was a Master Gardener and that I wanted to take a picture of this particular tree.

                                                                                                        

                                    

I am planning to do a Master Gardener presentation regarding trees and their importance to the homeowner.  I wanted to include this tree’s photo in my presentation.  They told me that the tree was a red bud and that it was over 40 years old.  It is really ragged but part of it is still alive and kicking.  They told me it continues to bloom every spring.

Photo taken, I headed out to Garnet’s house.  I still arrived early but she (as usual) was waiting for me by the porch.  I had to stop and pet the Dukester.  Her chocolate lab is the sweetest thing in the world.  He is huge and could easily knock me over but he just wiggles and leaps into the air.  I dodge him strategically.  Duke is a great dog.

Garnet and I proceeded to the Hobby Lobby in Rockford and I purchased some Mod Podge because I want to do a little project.  I also got some netting material to crochet some of those little pot scrubbers.  (I am just so ambitious!)  I saw the pattern on line and knew I had to try and make them.

Garnet purchased three packages of moss.  I never knew but she has this thing for moss.  She is going to try to grow some in her little garden.

As Garnet had never eaten at the Olive Garden we opted for that place for lunch.  I have an addiction to their potato soup and eat it every time I go there which is maybe twice a year.  Garnet went with the flat bread covered with veggies.  It was lovely.

Garnet said she wanted to go for a walk and I suggested we go to the Labyrinth at Womenspace.  I had heard about it from the ladies at my Wild Women’s Retreats.  I wanted to see just what this place was.  I had forgotten my instructions to the place at home and just winged it.  It is quite out of the way for Rockford.  Luckily I remembered all the names of the streets and remembered they were all left turns.  We drove right up to it.

We saw some wild turkeys out in the field.  I decided that I would go knock on the office door and ask instructions.  The lady who was the receptionist told me which way to go and to follow the ribbon rings.  Had I seen the ribbon rings?  I had not.  She walked out with me and directed me toward the ribbon rings.  Garnet and I proceeded down the path directed by the lovely ribbon rings and came into a clearing where we caught our first glimpse of the Labyrinth.  I never imagined that it was so large.  Well I started on the path at the opening but Garnet cheated and stepped over the stones into another path.

We talked as we walked and shared thoughts.  Garnet came across a bunch of feather and said, “I think there was an animal sacrifice here.”  We got a chuckle out of that.

Garnet and I have this thing about finding money.  She told me years ago that she always says, “Thank you God.  It’s alright if you send me money.”  And so I adopted the same.  I came across a quarter and picked it up.  I showed it to her and asked, “Do I dare keep this one?”  I hid it under a rock and she said when she got to that point she was tearing up the stones to find that quarter.  She is so funny!

On our way out of the labyrinth, I notice Garnet poking around the rocks off to the side.  She was over there stealing moss.  I swear she was.  She had little tufts of it in her hand and was trying to dig up a rock.  I gave her a clean tissue to put her moss into.

After our walk I realized that I had left my camera in the car and went back to get it.  The receptionist asked if we would come in after our walk for a tour of the facility and so we did that.  Womanspace is really spiritual.  Everything about it is artistic, spiritual, and womanly.

Garnet is thinking of going to their yoga classes.  I am thinking I am going to make one of those ribbon wheels.  I think it may deter the stupid woodpeckers that eat our house.

We head off to Michael’s where I buy a bunch of ribbon and a couple of hoops.  Garnet didn’t buy moss this time.  I guess she was satisfied with the stuff she had stolen.  Bless her heart.