Yes, Abby is really our dog!

We have a contest in our magazine every month. It's called "Abby Tracks" and is sort of like a 'needle in a haystack' kind of thing. You have to locate Abby's paw print in the book somewhere and then send in an entry, along with a paragraph or two about a favorite memory of some type, recipe, or short story. The instructions are in the book each month.

It still amazes me the number of people that talk about the paw print. Just last night at our Kiwanis meeting it was a topic of conversation between several of us. What also amazes me though, is the number of our readers that don't even know Abby is a dog, much less our dog!

When we started the contest in All Things Country, Abby was our only pet. She was just a puppy - and a big handful to us. I hadn't owned a bigger dog since I was younger - only poms and yorkies. So this 'someday 50 pound' ball of fire that joined our lives was a bit overwhelming at first. In fact, we tried giving her away a couple of times. The last time we tried, down at Green River during a camping trip, was about as close as we ever came. She was on their boat, just wanting to call it home. They had lots of kids! But, the mom on that very same boat vetoed the idea before the kids could even bat their big ole' eyes at her.

So, we came home from that camping trip with her - and remarkably, the very next day her whole attitude changed. She actually started to mind, somewhat at least. It was like she knew what we had planned and she figured she had found a good home, she may as well appreciate it. She is, of course, still a handful for us, it's the beagle in her. But she won't be here forever, so we'll just continue to put up with her.

We started the Abby Track contest after deciding the keep her for good. The contest is a real hit each month. I've only managed to forget to put the paw print in two editions since we started. Boy, did we get phone calls those months! One month I forgot to take it out from the previous month, so we had entries with two locations. I've definitely improved over the years, as it's been a while since I've forgotten it.

We've offered some pretty incredible prizes along the way too .... all thanks to our great advertisers! We've had cabin stays in the Red River Gorge area, jewelry from Dan's in Winchester, a gem mining gift package, dinner gift certificates, zip lining and paintball tickets. It's great fun to be able to spread a little fun around - and then present the winner with something fun to do!

If you are interested in sponsoring a prize one month, please contact us at 606-723-0478 for more information. You can even have the entries sent in to your business to see how many you get - and do the drawing from your business.

Thanks everyone - and have a great Friday!

Deadline week approaches

Good afternoon, wherever you may be in this wonderful world. We are busy here in Estill County, Kentucky getting the November edition of All Things Country Magazine ready for the printers. We've had lots of Abby Track entries this month, the drawing will be held at the end of next week. So, if you haven't gotten your entry in, do it soon.....

We've also had lots of great entries in our photo contest. I'm getting them ready for the judges over the weekend, so we'll know what our front cover will look like soon. Some of the entries are simply gorgeous. Well, all of them are. Some are more breathtaking than others, hows that for diplomacy?

We're now leaving bundles of magazines at the Welcome Center in Williamsburg, Kentucky - so we're looking for a few good realtors to advertise. Get those listings out to more than just residents in our area! Who knows, maybe a few more good people will move to this state - and learn what an awesome state we live in.

We're also offering holiday greeting ads for November and December. If you are wanting to tell your customers 'thank you' for their business this past year, this is the way to get your greeting out to several counties. Give us a call if you are interested!

Another thought with the holidays around the corner .... a subscription to All Things Country Magazine makes a great gift! Subscriptions cost $27.00 per year and the recipient will get their own copy of ATC Magazine delivered to their mailbox each month. We currently mail out subscriptions to about 12 different states.

Well, I'm not getting any ads built doing this blog, so it's time to get to work. I hope each and every one of you have a blessed day! And give us a call if you are interested in helping to keep our magazine free by taking out an ad....... 606-723-0478.

Change is a'coming!

The weather is gorgeous outside. Not too hot, not too cold. But the trusty ole' weatherdude is telling me that change is coming. Not too sure I'm ready for full blown winter yet. I've got too much to get accomplished still before the cold chilly days of winter arrive. But, alas, what I want isn't exactly what the good Lord upstairs wants. He's got his plan - and at times it just doesn't jive with my plan. I'm good at changing plans in midstream though, so it's all good.

Our deadline week is just around the corner - again! Time just flies by anymore. Why is it when you are younger it drags on, when you are older - you wish it would drag on. I remember when I was younger and would be waiting for dad to get home from one or another of his military missions. His time in Vietnam seemed like years, years he was gone and we were in Idaho just waiting for news from him.

Long before the thought of internet. Long before folks gathered at airports to welcome home our soldiers from the war. No, when my dad came home they were just angry he was even there. Like he had a choice! It was certainly not his choice to leave his family for years at a time. I would have loved to have been able to video chat with him while he was gone. We waited for letters! Or the sporatic phone call.  I could not have been prouder of my dad during his military years.

I continue to hold such a strong love of the armed services in my heart. The men and women protecting our country deserve every bit of our prayers and thanks for the job they endure every day while deployed. And the wives and husbands left behind. Goodness, my mom took on quite a job marrying a military guy - something I appreciate more every day.

We were hauled to Japan at a young age and didn't come back stateside for over five years. What my grandparents must have gone through during those years. I get to see Jocey anytime I want by logging onto a computer and chatting with her. My grandparents got to wait on letters.

Well, goodness, I don't know how my conversation went from the cold, chilly weather of fall/winter to talking about the military. Rambling along again I guess. I hope each and every one of you have the best day yet! And continue to keep our military in our prayers .... and the weathermen too....

Pam

So thankful to live in the United States

I've been watching some of the coverage of Amanda Knox this morning. Quite the story, yes it is. Although I feel back for the young lady that died and her family, I was just so happy when they called the verdict. I really figured that they would still consider her guilty. All I know is, I'm sure darned happy to call myself a resident of the United States of America. I certainly don't want to visit Italy anytime soon, that's for sure.

I just can't imagine what Amanda's friends and family have gone through for the past four years. The trips to Italy must have cost them a fortune. I was thinking this morning, when they arrive back in Seattle, what a feeling they will have - knowing that the trips to Italy are no longer a part of their lives.

How do you just put your life on hold for four years? You do it for the sake of your children. Amazing thing ... that thing called parenthood. It so changes your life, forever. I'm thankful every day of my life for so many things - my wonderful husband, my adorable grandkidlet, my family from church, my family in general. But nothing makes me more thankful in life than having had a daughter almost 30 years ago. I wanted tons of kids, well maybe 10. That wasn't to be. God had other plans I guess.

I was always the one that said my job when I grew up was to be a mommy. I guess instead of being bummed that God only gave me one, I should be thankful that God AT LEAST gave me one! The alternative is unthinkable.

Thankfully I've never had to travel to a foreign country to try to save her butt! She's been a pretty good kidlet - and for that I'm additionally thankful. But, hey, I'd travel to the lengths that the Knox family did. Just glad I haven't had to!

Have an awesome day everyone. God is good, and gave us this day to do good for somebody - whether it's just for yourself or for someone else.

Blessings ..... Pam

The first day of fall .....

Today is the first day of fall. A beautiful time to enjoy the beauty of Kentucky, the fall season. I remember when we moved to Kentucky, I had to ask my uncle Bobby why prices for lodging were so high in October. It just seemed so odd. But after witnessing a few fall seasons here, I know why.

We had fall in the West too. But it surely doesn't look like it does here! Don't get me wrong ... I love Idaho just as much as I do Kentucky. But fall in Idaho doesn't last very long. Especially once the snow starts flying in the higher country. Fall is just a blink in the scheme of things.

In Kentucky, and our surrounding states too, the fall season lasts a bit longer. I guess because we don't get the high mountain snows, huh? Heck, we rarely get snow here. Or what I'm used to anyways. But, don't get me started on winter..... I'm still looking forward to what's to come.

My sister has never seen a fall in Kentucky. She always came out to visit me during the winter months, so just always saw the bare trees we witness through winter. She's got something to look forward to with our fall, huh? We are thinking about taking a drive down to Gatlinburg in October, I'm guessing it will be gorgeous!

As I look out the window this morning though, it looks more like winter. It's dreary out there.... and a bit chilly too! Do I really have to start unpacking winter clothes? Can't I just get by with a light jacket for a few more weeks? I'm not asking for too much, am I?

We really shouldn't complain though, we definitely need the rain. Maybe not today .... but down the road it will be nice. Our pond is needing some water in it. Thankfully it doesn't go dry - or the ducks would be mighty unhappy.

Where is your favorite place to witness the beauty of Fall in Kentucky? Let me know, maybe I can get another road trip in the planning stages!!

Have a great Friday everyone. Be safe wherever you might be.
~Pam

Where did September go?

Goodness, where did the month go? It's already the 22nd day of the month - and this is my first post since sometime back in August. I surely haven't disappeared. Just been a busy month I guess.

The September book was printed and distributed right before our Cornhole, Croquet and Country celebration at the farm. Those that came also shared in a surprise for my dad's birthday - he turned 77 that day. We had a lot of fun, between the music by Boot Scootin' Entertainment and all the visiting we got in during the day. And I haven't even gotten to the food part of the party yet!

The meal that we shared that day was simply amazing. It was so nice to get together and enjoy a meal with our friends, family, readers of the magazine and our wonderful neighbors. Yes, we've got some special neighbors. They put up with the music all day - and we never heard a complaint one. We made sure the speakers were pointed outward towards the fields, not the neighbors' homes.....

No sooner did we get the celebration wrapped up, dad and I were off to Gatlinburg for a few days. I quickly learned that a few days in Gatlinburg is not enough. Goodness. How on earth have we lived here for almost 10 years and never gone to Gatlinburg? I am so excited to take Dave back for a visit. Although we'll have to save up for a while - once he sees all those go-kart tracks he'll go wild!

We've been on our share of Go-Kart tracks over the years we've been together. We used to take our kidlets to them too. I can plainly see little Casey driving a go-kart that had a block put behind the pedal so she couldn't go too fast. Here the rest of us, Dave, Jenni and I were actually trying to race each other - and stay out of the way of Casey. She liked to drive around the track in a box pattern. You know - go straight down the stretches, then come to a corner and turn 90 degrees to the left. It was a hoot, I'm telling ya!

We met up with Dad one time in Oregon and went to the tracks over on the coast. Dave and I got done with racing at this one little track we really enjoyed, and Dad's comment? "You guys really shouldn't be on the track at the same time." You could say that the Dave person and I are a bit competitive when it comes to racing. Probably the reason we've never gotten into Saturday night racing around here. We would fight over who got to drive the car!

I've spent the rest of the month struggling with a sprained shoulder. Not a good thing, it's the right shoulder no less. Thankfully Dr. John has been able to give me some relief. I had to break down for an x-ray even. Not a fan of x-rays. But, I had to get this shoulder thing figured out .... deadline week is upon me again! Kind of hard to type with a sore shoulder. And the Dave person isn't too keen on typing up all my stories, so a fix was necessary. It's a whole lot better than it was, we'll see how the next week goes.

Have a blessed day everyone. I'll be back more regularly now, well God willing I will be. He might have other plans for me........

Pam

The path of Irene .....

Irene has hit the East Coast. We've had our television on the Weather Channel all morning and it's pretty darned windy. Poor Mike Bettis is about to be blown away on that beach he's trying to stand on. The damage reports are already coming in, and they've announced a death already too.

What amazes me is the live shots of New York City. At 10:30 am, Times Square looks like any other day. Big screen TV's still on, people wandering everywhere. And 90 minutes until just about every form of transportation ceases in the city. It's kind of irritating to see that some people just didn't get the grasp of Katrina when it tore through New Orleans. It's just taxing on all of the rescue workers to have to worry about tourists wandering the streets.

Since I'm such a weather geek, I've watched the "What Would Happen" episode's that involve New York City. The wind is going to be incredible, if it hits like they say it will. I couldn't - for the life of me - imagine being in that city when it hits.

Sure, it's a pain to have to pack up and head West. It's costly too. But what cost is your life? I mean, come on .... I'd jump in my car and drive if I knew that a hurricane was headed my way. I say that, though, yet I have never headed for a basement yet when a tornado siren goes off, so what exactly would I do? Judge not.......

My family went through a 204 mph typhoon in the early 1960's, and I'm guessing my parents didn't have much choice then but to hunker down and wait for it to blow over. I have several memories of that happening to us, even though I was very young. There were lots and lots of people at our house. Apparently we had the largest house at the time, so all the air force wives brought their kids and hunkered down with my mom, sister and myself.

I remember the bricks flying through the window in the room where all of us kids were sleeping. We had been upstairs sleeping and all the moms came up and got us and brought us down into the living room. I remember the confusion, so it must have happened pretty quick. I don't really remember the brick that came through the window and hit my mom, breaking her back. But I do remember the ambulance driver closing her hand in the ambulance door as they took her away.

He wasn't really an ambulance driver - just someone they 'recruited' at the hospital because they ran out of drivers. But they managed to get her to the hospital, just as the roof was blowing off. I never do remember going to see my mom in the hospital though. My next memory would be the next morning, after the winds had died down. Us kids were allowed to go outside, and the street crews were on our street tying all the trees back up. Every single tree was laying on the ground with the roots sticking up. The road crews were picking them up and tying ropes to them so they would stand.

It was the most wind I've ever encountered, although one time at the C2H2 Farm we had a pretty good wind come through. It was enough to send me to dad's porch .... but not the basement.

So, heck, I guess if I was in the path of Irene .... I guess I can't say what I'd do. But, I know one thing I would do, the same thing I'll do from our little farm here in Kentucky. And that's pray. Pray that loss of life and loss of property is at a minimum by the end of Sunday, when Irene should be just a bad rainstorm......

Have a great weekend everyone. And if you've got a spare minute, you might say a prayer for those in the path of the storm too.

Pam