CandyLand

 

CandyLand

If I lived in a gingerbread house town, I’d have so many treats,

Cobblestone made of chocolate bars would line the streets,

The trees would be lollipops and the bushes gum drops,

And butterscotch would drip from the treetops,

Streetlights would be made of peppermint sticks,

And as I passed by, I could get a few licks!

My sidewalk would be made of Andes mints,

And the air would be filled with delicious scents,

Cotton candy would puff like smoke from my chimney,

With mountains of M & M’s, there would be plenty,

I’d sleep soundly on a soft marshmallow bed,

While visions of sugarplums danced in my head,

I’d soak in a bathtub filled with hot cocoa,

I’d be covered in chocolate from head to toe!

I’d play Candy Crush Saga all day long,

And listen to Sammy Davis Jr’s The Candy Man song:

“Talk about your childhood wishes”,

“You can even eat the dishes”,

Then I’d wake up and find…

It was only a daydream in my mind!

Tammy Harvey

Another Little Girl

 

Another little Girl

There’s a second little granddaughter in my heart to stay,

Her name is Hannah, and she is growing every day,

She was born at 36 weeks, but is healthy and is strong,

She will need to be tough, but don’t get me wrong,

She has two older brothers who love her very much,

She is her daddy’s little angel and her mother’s prayerful touch,

Her Mama always wanted a little girl to complete their family,

And when she asked God for her, He said “yes” happily,

My son was in shock for about a month or two,

He didn’t consider himself a girl dad; oh my, what would he do?

Well, let me tell you, she's got him wrapped around her finger,

He looks at her with loving stares and doesn’t even remember,

When he wasn’t a “girl dad”, because it was meant to be,

Heaven sent a little girl to make his offspring three,

Now the score is tied, I have two granddaughters and two grandsons,

And most likely they won’t be the only ones,

My husband and I raised three boys,

There was a lot of excitement and a lot of noise!

Now we have two precious little girls to love,

So, I can’t help but think they were sent from above,

No one wanted a little girl to hold more than Jerry did,

He was raised with no sisters when he was a kid,

I feel he knows these grandchildren and is very proud,

Even though he’s in Heaven, I hear him say out loud,

“We are so blessed”.

Tammy Harvey

12/13/2024

She's 18-months-old Today!

 

Why I Love Her SO...

Is it her large blue sparkling eyes and the dimples on her chubby little hands? Is it the curly ringlets that flow to her shoulders and the way she pushes the hair away with the back of her hand?  Is it the skinny jeans with her diaper showing out the back and her cute pigtails’ hairstyle?   Or is it the way she points with curiosity asking me “what’s that?” to almost everything?  Is it her scrunched up nose when she smiles at me the biggest?  Or is it the kisses she throws to me with her stiff flat hand?  Is it the way she pretends to feed her baby doll with the bottle and hugs all of her stuffed animals closely to her chest?  Or could it be the way she points at me when someone asks, ‘where’s Gigi’?  Is it the way she looks at me when giving me “the eye’?   Could it be her funny disposition and how music makes her dance?  Is it the way she always laughs when I play peek-a-boo?  Or perhaps the fact she loves to shower every chance she gets?  Is it the way she turns the pages in her favorite hardboard book?  Or the tiny white teeth that are coming in rapidly and hurt?  Is it the way she grabs her pacifier and puts it in her mouth?  Or how she insists on feeding herself?  Is it how she lays her head down lovingly on my lap and how easily she falls to sleep at night and for her naps?  Is it the constant waves she gives to everyone in sight?  Is it her determination to get up on the couch all by herself?  Is it her love of the outdoors that really is the best?

Not one of these, but all of these are the reasons that I love her:  She is the one-and-only child of my firstborn, the first granddaughter and a very special little girl!!!

She is 18 months old today!  (12/17/2024)

Tammy Harvey

12/6/2024

Neighborhood Owl

 

Neighborhood Owl

The owl is a mysterious fellow,

He sits quietly in the tree so ironically mellow,

Waiting to pounce on some unsuspecting prey,

I think he would sit there literally all day,

He came to the neighborhood and took up residence,

Now everyone enjoys his awe-inducing presence,

He shows up each evening, just before dark,

He doesn’t move a muscle when the dogs start to bark,

His stature is regal, bulky and brawny is he,

As he sits in the low branches of the oak tree,

His head will turn gently almost completely around,

But he doesn’t scare easily I have found,

I was able to drive up closely to him in my car,

And capture his photo which seems quite bizarre,

He seems to be comfortable in our neighborhood,

We welcome him kindly as good neighbors should.

Tammy Harvey

12/3/2024

Baby Jesus

 

Baby Jesus

Thanksgiving is over and fall wreaths have come down,

Christmas lights are aglow all-around town,

The holiday season is upon us, and we are feeling unprepared,

Shopping is frantic and our wits are not spared,

But take a breath and relax for it’s time to enjoy,

The ancient birth of a divine baby boy,

Jesus came into the world as we all did,

He was a baby, and then He was a kid,

He walked this earth for 33 years,

Teaching and preaching of a world with no tears,

His life was brief here, but his message was tremendous,

He was the son of God, and His mission was to send us,

To make other disciples and share the good news,

We can choose to accept Him, or we can refuse,

And someday the lion will lie down with the lamb,

And there will be peace on earth for the sons of Abraham,

When Christmas chaos brings you stress,

Remember that Jesus came to bless!

Tammy Harvey

12/3/2024

Hot Glue

 

Craft Nite

Sometimes you just get a few friends together,

It may be in summer or winter; pay no mind to the weather,

Everyone brings a bag of craft supplies to share,

We don’t know what we are making, but we don’t care,

Creativity is flowing and ideas evolve in just a short bit,

Hot glue guns are melting the glue as fast as we need it,

There are ribbons and Styrofoam balls, buttons and lace,

But most of all, there is a smile on everyone’s face,

We laugh; we visit; we spill glitter and paint,

We tell of recent happenings and reacquaint,

The kitchen table full of supplies:  it is quite a mess,

But the spirits are lifted, I must confess,

Our craft nights are too far in between,

It’s certainly not part of a regular routine,

But when we do meet, our scissors we share,

Just don’t cut wire with the ribbon pair!

So many memories are made when we do,

Stick together, as friends, like hot glue!

Tammy Harvey

11/25/2024

Debonair and Medicare!

 Oops!  My apologies.  I forgot to post last week.  I was probably getting my eyebrows waxed!

Girlie Girl

Never was much of a girlie girl,

Not too fond of ribbons and curls,

Short hair, no makeup was my jam,

Very much opposite of my sister Pam,

I didn’t have manicured nails, for sure,

I was a chronic nail biter with no cure,

But now that I’m older and more debonair,

(I am actually going on Medicare),

I enjoy getting my mani- and pedicures done,

I’m sure I’m not the only one,

A facial, a massage, pampering of any kind,

Makes me feel so wonderful; it’s divine,

Getting older is hard enough,

Give me more of the luxurious stuff.

Tammy Harvey

11/18/2024

Laughter

 

Laughter

If I were a comedian,

I’d make people smile, and then…

A burst of laughter would fill the room,

Like the release of festive helium balloons,

A giggle, a chuckle, a snicker, a roar,

Who could ask for anything more?

A symphony of tickled, a delightful belly laugh,

If they say I stink, I hope they are referring to a bath,

My jokes may be corny, but my puns are really fun,

Laughter is a medicine that’s meant for anyone,

Find some humor in your day,

Even when it’s not going your way,

Eat the apple to the core,

But a laugh will help you more,

Laughter is contagious,

The result is outrageous,

Be the first to be infected,

And give it to someone unexpected.

Tammy Harvey

10/25/2024

Baby Gays

 

 Random Gift of Baby Gays

I was out shopping with my friend who asked me to go with her.  She needed to make some clothing purchases for an upcoming cruise.  We were in Ross store, and I was just casually browsing since I didn’t have anything in mind to buy.  I thought about my daughter-in-law who had most recently had a baby, my fourth grandchild.  She was adjusting to the transition of having three children, breastfeeding, and the repetitive loss of a full night’s sleep.  I thought I’d pick up a little something for her to show her she was appreciated for all her effort to survive a newborn.  I remembered that my son had said she really used a lot of Q-tips.  Somehow it came up in a conversation when were on vacation together, I think.  When I saw these cute plastic containers shaped like clouds and filled with Q-tips, I immediately thought of that random conversation.  I wanted to get her something useful after all and not something to produce more clutter or to cause more stress.  I needed a sweet gift with a purpose.  This was the perfect gift as far as I was concerned.  I purchased it for her and presented it to her the next time I was at their house.  My son and daughter-in-law thought it a funny and unusual gift, but nonetheless, something she would definitely use.  These particular Q-tips had a normal tuft of cotton on one end and the other end was a rigid, pointy cotton.  This distinction caused me to Google the uniqueness of this ear-cleaning device.  During my search I discovered many “fun facts” about the use and origin of ear swabs.  For example, I learned that originally ear swabs were invented in the 1920’s and called “Baby Gays”.  Shortly afterwards they were renamed to Q-tips, and the “q” was to indicate “quality” in the product.  My research provided numerous facts, such as how in the UK they are known as “cotton buds”.  We laughed and my daughter-in-law said it was the strangest gift she had ever received.  I said that the facts about the Q-tip would make a wonderful trivia question on a gameshow!

 Now comes the crazier part of the story.  Later that same evening, I was watching a show called Split Second on the Game Show Network.  You guessed it.  “Ear, Ear!  Tell me if these facts about Q-tips are True or False”, the host blurted out.  I was quick enough to snap a picture of the television screen with my phone camera.  Otherwise, I doubt anyone would have believed my story.  The questions posed to the contestants and written on the screen were: 1. “They were originally called Baby Gays; 2. “They’re made with real cotton”; and 3. “The “Q” stands for quick.”  Of course, the answers were:  1. True 2. True and 3. False.  I immediately sent a text with a picture of the tv screen to my son and daughter-in-law along with an excited phone call!  Remember how I said Baby Gays would make a good trivia question?  None of us could believe that this had happened.  It was even more astounding than me buying my daughter-in-law a box of 500 Q-tips and joking that she might need more in about 6 weeks!   Tammy Harvey   10/17/2024   

Sydney McStickerson

 

Sydney the frog

A frog is suctioned to my window on this starry night,

He is a rather small fella, and his underbelly is white,

He seems to enjoy sleeping in his vertical bed,

While I prefer the comfort of my horizontal seat instead,

He is so peaceful there, stuck firmly to the glass,

I won’t disturb his slumber; never would I harass,

My little companion who joined me for a sweet nightcap,

I watch him from my couch with a blanket in my lap,

He is gone this morning; he got up before I did,

I hope he returns tonight- I think I’ll name him Syd,

Sydney McStickerson will be his formal name,

If I could read his mind, I think he did the same,

He probably named me old Mrs. McCoucherson,

Does everyone think this way or am I the only one!?

Tammy Harvey

10/6/2024

What a Friend

 

A True Friend…

Accepts you unconditionally,

Helps you grow,

Supports you during tough times,

Increases your ability to love yourself,

Is honest and empathetic to you,

Is loyal and loving,

Is a good listener,

Is forgiving,

What a friend we have in Jesus!

Tammy Harvey

9/24/2024

A Friend Wrote

 

A Friend Wrote…

Story by Chris B.

I thought of this in a moment of panic.  I had just gotten home after running errands after work.  I was trying to take some of the laundry out as well as get a shower and put away a gift I had gotten for a friend.  Anyway, I always take my rings off and put them in a little ceramic container at my bathroom counter before my shower.  The cat jumped up onto the counter as she wanted some water from the sink.  I thought I took both of my rings off and placed them on the ceramic dish.  I took my shower and put away the clothes and went back to get my rings.  There was only the wedding band there and my engagement ring was not there.  I panicked and prayed as I looked on the floor and shook out the clothes.  I panicked and prayed harder as I retraced my steps.  When I first went into the bedroom, I remembered that I had tidied up the bed as Ray loves a neatly made-up bed.  I removed the sheet carefully and the quilt on top too but found nothing.  Then I looked down between the bed and the nightstand and there it was.  It was almost directly under the cross on the wall.  That cross reminded me to get back to my daily devotions in the morning before starting my busy day.  When I do, my day goes smoother, and I feel like I’m not pressing the 911 panic button for prayer.

Isn’t it funny how God gets your attention?   Thank you, Chris, for sharing this story with me. 

Tammy Harvey

8/24/2024     

Sea Turtle Rescue

 

Sea Turtle Rescue and Rehab

I am fortunate to be acquainted with Kathy Zagzebski, one of the leaders at the Karen Beasley Sea Turtle Rescue and Rehabilitation Center in Surf City, NC.  They rescue injured sea turtles, rehabilitate them and release them back into the ocean.  They also monitor sea turtle nests and protect them until they hatch, giving them a better chance of survival.  Of course, they collect data and offer information to raise turtle safety awareness to the public.  Most turtles are injured due to human causes.  They can swallow fishhooks or get entangled and hit by a boat’s propeller.  Plastic is a big culprit in their sicknesses and death.  Many turtles die every year due to ingesting debris they mistake for food.

 A group of my friends and myself were privileged to stay with Kathy Z at her home for a weekend recently.  She gave us a personal tour of the rehabilitation facility, and we observed the turtles in their tanks and learned so much about them.  The second night we were there, we visited a “Sea Turtle Nest Analysis” location.  This nest had hatched 3 days prior, and the protocol is to wait 3 days then dig up the nest and count the eggshells.  The area around the nest was roped off and a nice smooth “ramp” had been cleared to the water’s edge.  The nest was in the dune area of the beach.  It was possible that some of the hatchlings might emerge.  A volunteer, one of many hundred in the project, carefully dug into the sand and removed a total of 105 eggs, 87 hatched eggshells and 18 that had not hatched at all and were not viable.  However, there were no hatchlings left behind.  While we didn’t get to witness the hatchlings, it was good news that they all had made their way out on their own.

 After that we ventured further down the beach to another site that was being “watched” by volunteers because it had reached the gestation period and could hatch at any time.  Again, it was roped off and a group of volunteers were there.  They had waited all night the night before.  They took a device that picks up sound and placed it in the sand next to the nest, and with headphones they could hear if any activity was occurring.  They heard the “rain stick sound” that indicates some movement in the sand.  By now it is dark out, and the moon is full, the smooth sand ramp is in place.  It is the perfect combination for a hatching.  The baby turtles go toward the light of the moon when they are born.  They have to make the journey down to the ocean on their own.  They are magnetically imprinted to the sand to give them a reference to return to the same spot one day.  This is why the volunteers do not pick them up and physically move them to the water.  In many instances, artificial light from streetlights or nearby beach homes may confuse the babies and they may go toward the wrong light source, leading them away from the ocean.  That is why some of time, the nest is relocated to a more remote spot and/or the volunteers have to ask that the streetlights be extinguished, and the homeowners turn off their lights.  We watched alongside the group of volunteers until 8 pm then we left and returned to Kathy’s home.  I had a suspicion that this might be the night, but of course, there was no guarantee.  Sure enough, Kathy received a text message that evening at about 11 pm that the nest had hatched.  While I would have loved to have seen that happening in person, I was overjoyed to know that we had been a small part of the process.  We had come alongside the group and asked numerous questions, as did other observers gathered there.  We had learned so much about the necessary work involved in protecting the sea turtles from harm.  It was quite an experience.

Tammy Harvey

8/21/2024

The Towel

 

The Towel

I am reminded of a scene I witnessed at the beach on Saturday.  The red flag was flying as the ocean rip currents were strong and beach goers were being warned that swimming was a risk.  I was on a girl’s weekend trip, relaxing leisurely on the sand and strolling along the shoreline in search of the occasional shark tooth.  I walked close to a little girl who was sitting facing the ocean with her feet touching the tide, legs apart and leaning back on her arms.  She was probably six years old and was singing quietly to herself.  I could see she was having the time of her life.  The sun shone down as the waves gently lapped at her feet.  She was so happy and excited to be there, it brought to my attention how lovely the day was.  Then out of nowhere, a large wave broke right near the shoreline.  It was a forceful wave that unexpectedly hit her right in the face.  Immediately, she jumped up and grabbed her eyes and ran directly to her mother who was up on the dry sand area just behind her.  The little girl was more shocked than upset by the sudden turn of events.   I saw her receiving her mother’s comfort as her mother offered her a towel to dry her eyes.  I think she had gotten salt in her eyes and water up her nose.  After she dried her face, the next thing I knew was the little girl had returned to her spot along the shoreline.  The forceful wave had alarmed her but had not discouraged her from going back.

I was instantly prompted to compare this scenario to our relationship with our Heavenly Father.  While we are happy and singing because life is going well, something traumatic happens in our life.  Something unexpected rocks our world.  At once, if we have a relationship with Christ, we run to him for His comfort.  Like she ran to her mother, we cry out for help from Jesus.  He encourages us and like the little girl, we are able to return to our sense of safety.  Jesus has the towel to wipe the salt from our eyes.  He is there in our time of need.  Always and forever.  Amen.

Tammy Harvey

8/19/2024

Be A Daisy

 

Be true to yourself,

As youngsters we don’t really know yet who we are,

Our struggle to find our place is so bizarre,

We tend to conform to the group mentality,

But life experiences and time give us clarity,

We want to fit in and be popular amongst the crowd,

Maturity shows us that there is no voice as loud,

As the voice inside us, revealing what we believe,

When we believe in ourselves, we achieve,

A confidence that surpasses the world’s clatter,

A courage that says I really do matter,

I am strong.  I can decide.  I know what is right,

Against the hypocrisy, I will fight,

In a world where corruptions abound,

Civility is lost and the sincere can’t be found,

Trust in yourself, alongside the Almighty,

There is still hope for our society,

It may sound really crazy:

In a world of roses, be a daisy!

Tammy Harvey

8/10/2024

Forest Fairy

 

Lady Jasmine

Lady Jasmine is a forest fairy,

Very kind, not at all scary,

She flies high on butterfly wings,

And with a tiny voice, she sweetly sings,

Her head is covered with a petite acorn cap,

She can appear and disappear in a snap!

Her skin is fair, her eyes are aqua blue,

Her flowing hair is corn silk too,

She wears a dress made of flower petals,

And comfortably on a leaf she settles,

Her heart is pure, her intentions are good,

She would befriend you if she could,

She spreads cheer amongst the garden plants,

And sometimes plays kickball with the ants,

Though small in size, her adventures are big,

She once took a ride on a farmer’s pig,

Oh, she has spunk and moxie, it’s true,

She can outwit both me and you!

Tammy Harvey

8/12/2024

First Train Ride

 

 First Train Ride

Big blue-eyed little girl with the curly hair,

Throwing kisses everywhere,

Come ride the old train with me,

You will like it, wait and see,

First time is always a charming affair,

You will see when we get there,

The conductor will welcome us with “all aboard”,

 To an old passenger train that has been restored,

The train whistle will blow loudly, hold your ears,

The thrill will outweigh any of your fears,

This train travels at a rate that’s very, very slow,

It has no windows so the breeze will surely blow,

And you will wave to everything we pass by,

Our ride time will truly fly,

So many firsts to experience with you,

I hope you enjoy them as much as I do!

Tammy Harvey

8/7/2024- Took Nellie Rae on her first train in Hope Mills on June 12, 2024.

Rhythmic Rhapsody

 

Rhythmic Rhapsody

Each night when I go to bed,

As I lay down my weary head,

The serenade of a beautiful love song is playing,

Encouraging me while I am praying,

Casting its spell, aiding my slumber,

A symphony of frogs croaking in number,

Rhythmic rhapsody filling a silent night,

On again, off again until the morning light,

The holding pond behind my home,

Offers wildlife a place to roam,

Canadian geese are often there,

 And Mallard ducks, a quacking pair,

The most unusual? … a group of otter,

Swimming playfully in the water,

Above the surface, a turtle quietly pokes its head,

While I am peacefully in my bed,

A world of delightful creatures, just outside my door,

Who could ask for anything more?

Tammy Harvey

8/7/2024

Bull or No?

 

That’s No Bull

Another story from our recent trip to Tennessee is worth retelling.  We made our way to Pigeon Forge from the Cades Cove area.  Cassie’s parents, Randy and Sande, however, who were meeting us there came from Raleigh, the opposite direction.  They had followed a GPS route that took them through some back roads to get there.  Sometimes GPS routes you way out of your way, but you may end up encountering something new.  Sande conveyed this story to us not long after we arrived.  She said they were out in the middle of nowhere (via GPS) and happened upon a little dog in the middle of the road.  Avoiding the dog, they proceeded and along the next stretch of road they encountered a large black bull standing in the middle of the road.  Luckily, they avoided hitting it too, but were pretty shook up by the siting.  At this point in her story, I asked her what she had been drinking and/or smoking.  I pretended to not believe such a silly story, but she promised that it happened.  What made her think of it was that the boys were watching Ferdinand on the television.  I could not help myself.  I hit here with a barrage of bull jokes, including “well, it’s a good thing your truck wasn’t red”!  For the next day and a half, I kept questioning the “bull” she had told us she saw.  I’d taunt her with: “Maybe it was a bull” or “Are you sure it wasn’t a bull?” when she would be having a conversation with me.  It’s a good thing that my son’s mother-in-law has a good sense of humor.  Recently, I found a set of vintage bull salt/pepper shakers during one of my thrifting outings.  Sande’s Birthday is in September and guess what she is getting from me?   It is fun to have an inside running joke with someone, especially if the jokes on them!
That’s no bull!

Tammy Harvey

8/7/2024

Chairlift to the Tip Top

 

Chairlift to the Tip Top

On our recent Great Smoky Mountain trip, we had intended all along to go to Dollywood.  As we arrived there, we decided to skip the amusement park scene and opted to go to Ober Gatlinburg instead.  It was my daughter-in-law Cassie and her two boys and myself that went on this grand adventure.  Ted and Rande were golfing at the Gatlinburg golf course.  Sande stayed in the room and kept baby Hannah.  By the way, Ted ended up beating his personal best and shot a 78 on a par 72 mountainous course.  He is still coming down off the elation that he felt.  Back to the story of Ober Gatlinburg.  A huge gondola that probably holds 75 people took us to the activities at the top of the mountain.  It was about a 15-minute ride and the scenery from that vantage point was amazing.  Charles spotted two black bears on the road below.  These were the only bears we saw on our trip.  There was a house built on the side of the mountain that was a copy of the original Barbie toy house.  Another house was called the stilt house and only 6 inches of the house was actually built on the ground and the rest was supported by stilts.  The ride up in itself was a treat, but at the top was an indoor skating rink.  Right away Charles wanted to go get on the ice.  He had taken skating lessons when he was 3 years old, so he was ready to try his skills.  They had small plastic apparatuses that could be used to assist in balancing while pushing it in front of you.  Charles got a hold of one of those and went cautiously on his way.  He only fell a couple of times before getting the hang of it.  Later, when Cassie and Grayson joined us, Charles pushed Grayson around while he sat on the pushcart.  Also at the top was a variety of challenging outdoor experiences.  There was a mountain roller coaster, mountain trail biking, a zipline, a rock-climbing tower, a jump pillow, a tube ride, swing chair ride, and a spider jump trampoline equipped with harness for doing flips!  They did many of these activities while I enjoyed watching.  The mountain roller coaster had a 2 hour wait time so that was unfortunate.  We were not willing to wait for Cassie and Charles to ride.  A large screen was positioned outside that offered news and sports.  The breaking news happened that President Biden had dropped out of the Presidential race while we were there.  It was one of those “where were you when” moments. My favorite attraction, however, was the chair lift.  We were already on top of a mountain, but not at the tip top.  The chair lift went to the tip top.  Cassie and Grayson rode together, and Charles and I rode together.  Only a metal bar across our laps separated us from the ground below.  It was a slow ride, and the view was incredible. I suppose we were only 20 ft off the ground. I wondered why I didn’t see sandals, cell phones, sunglasses or hats on the ground below. It would have been easy to accidentally drop something off the chair.  A bear was spotted up ahead of us.  The folks on the way down that we passed were all excited and telling us about it, but unfortunately the bear was gone by the time we arrived at that spot.  There was nothing at the tip top to see except the view and a tourist stand selling photos that they took of our approaching the top.  Charles wanted to have a picture of us kissing, so he held a constant lip lock on my cheek for what seemed like 5 minutes to ensure it was in the photo.  It was cute, but we passed on the photo and headed down again.  We were able to take our own photos because going up we were ahead of Cassie and Grayson and when we dismounted, we took a photo of their arrival.  The same is true when we returned to the bottom and Cassie took our arrival.  They sat in front of us on the way back.  The funniest thing started to happen as we descended the mountain on our chairlift.  The people we passed initiated games of rock/paper/scissors with the approaching chair.  Charles had a grand time playing this well-known game with the passing tourists.  In fact, he won with the majority of his games.  Grayson was also playing, and we could see him in front of us.  It was a reminder that ultimately, we are all in the same chairlift, dangling our feet above the ground, reaching for the sky and celebrating with strangers.  What a ride!

Tammy Harvey

8/7/2024

Strong Ears

 

You Can’t Make This Stuff Up

You can’t make this stuff up.  That’s what I would call the story I’m about to share.  It happened on a recent mountain trip with my son Ted’s family.  They had just had a baby girl six weeks before to add to their two rambunctious boys.  It was their first long outing with three children in tow.  My son drove, his wife rode in the passenger seat, I sat next to the baby’s car seat and the two older boys were each in a car seat at the very back.  My job was rather easy because the baby slept most of the trip.  I mostly was the liaison between the front and back seats with an occasional pacifier replacement duty.  We had just left Tuckaleechee Caverns in Townsend, TN where we enjoyed a long and exhausting tour of the fascinating underground cave.  There were over 200 slippery steps to maneuver and various places where you had to watch your head.  Although I didn’t have to watch my head because I am the height of a fifth grader, it was exciting and educational too.  On our way back to our resort in Pigeon Forge, Cassie, my daughter-in-law suggested we take another more scenic route.  We wanted to see everything we possibly could on our travels.  It turned out to be a rather mountainous, winding road.  The nearly five-year-old, Grayson, in the back was looking at a phone and all of a sudden shouted out that he thought he was going to throw up!  Cassie handed me the first thing she could find to act as a “bucket” for him to use.  After all, we had borrowed her mother’s car for the trip, and it was our responsibility to keep it as clean as possible given we had 3 children to transport.  What she handed me to give him was a quart-sized soda cup half-filled with Dr. Pepper.  I quickly passed it to him, and he promptly tilted it to the side and spilled most of it on the car interior.  My son, in the meantime, was looking for a place to pull off to the side of the road.  I had purchased a book at the gift shop and had a small plastic sack available at my feet.  I hurriedly took the book out and handed the bag to Grayson for insurance that he might use it to throw up in.  He took it and without hesitation put one handle on his right ear and one handle on his left ear and then proceeded to wear it like a feed bag in front of his mouth!  It was hilarious.  Charles, who is seven years old corrected him saying he better hang onto it with his hands, or it would fall down if he threw up in it.  Grayson shouted back “NO, my ears are strong!” and continued to wear his makeshift throw up invention until we arrived back at the resort.  He didn’t ever throw up, but my son did have to clean up the Dr. Pepper that was spilled.  These are the moments that memories are made of!

Tammy Harvey

7/31/2024

Walking on Sunshine

 

Walking on Sunshine

“Walking on Sunshine” is a classic song by Katrina and the Waves that debuted in 1983.

In 1983, when Jerry and I met, it became our song.  To us, it is a song about how happy you feel when you are in love.  Upbeat and full of energy, just like Jerry was.  The lyrics, “And don’t it feel good?!”, I can almost hear him sing right now.  When Thomas and Danielle were married in 2012, Jerry and I were asked to pick a song to walk into the reception to, as we were introduced.  It was without question that it had to be this song.  In 2018, at Jerry’s celebration of life ceremony, we played this song as our family exited the sanctuary after the service.  It is the epitome of a feel-good song, positive and optimistic.  (Oh, I have read about how the song is about drugs and sadness, but I’ll have no part of that.)  It has always been a happy love song for us.  Now, even 41 years later, I walk into a hardware store, a thrift store or a restaurant and hear it, the one-hit wonder (our song), being played over the speakers.  Of course, when I hear it, I smile and think of Jerry who loved to sing it, and it encourages me. To “walk on sunshine” means to be extremely happy which I know Jerry must be in heaven.  He may even be literally walking on sunshine right now!

I would encourage you and your significant other to have “a song”.  You never know when it might come in handy to brighten your day.

Tammy Harvey  on 7/15/2024

Thrifting

 

Thrifting

Why do I like old things almost better than new?

Nostalgic shopping is exciting, from my point of view,

I like to go thrifting to see what is there,

At the donation centers, such a variety of wares,

I see items reminiscent of my childhood,

Old relics, long forgotten, the memories are good,

Trash to some, treasures to me,

Lost in a world of fantasy,

As I stroll down the aisles, it’s like the five and dime,

It takes me to another place in time,

I might as well be walking on another planet,

The anxiety melts, it’s like a weighted blanket,

Of course, I love the bargains, the thrill of a deal,

But the memories that flood me, really do heal,

I love the 1960’s and 70’s vibe, it’s true,

But I also love the 30’s and 40’s, don’t you?

Lifestyles have changed in just a few decades,

Not as many items are exclusively handmade,

Unique and unusually nostalgic items bring me joy,

It could be a figurine, an old book or even a toy,

Thrifted artwork is a must, for me, at least,

I’m always on the hunt for a beautifully framed piece,

Old books, old jewelry, old knick-knacks and such,

Are the things I really love so much!

Tammy Harvey on  7/15/2024

Baby Sister

 

Baby Sister

“I think my water just broke” I heard her say,

Frantically, my daughter-in-law was calling today,

She was 36 weeks pregnant and not due at all,

So, we all were surprised by this urgent phone call,

It was her third, so I anticipated it would go fast,

I hopped in my car and arrived there at last,

The 10-minute drive felt unusually long,

I was praying on my way that nothing was wrong,

The hospital said the baby was definitely arriving,

But without complications, the baby was thriving,

Their baby girl was born, in four hours’ flat,

Prayerfully, we like it like that,

Precious and tiny, not quite six pounds,

Healthy and hungry, making squeaky mouse sounds,

She disguised herself as a preemie, quite clever is she,

With no preemie complications, a warrior she’d be,

Born on a Friday night; home on Sunday,

Fearfully and wonderfully made, I’d say,

Her parents named her Hannah, the youngest of three,

With two big brothers to protect her, she’s problem-free,

A princess, a little lady, she’ll be a tough one, I’ll bet,

She is a joy to us all, and God’s not finished with her yet!

Tammy Harvey

7/1/2024

Nest Disaster

 

Bird’s Nest Disaster

I have worked really hard on providing a welcoming sanctuary to bees, butterflies and birds in my small courtyard.  I have planted numerous pollinators in my perennial garden.  Bird bath, bee bath, bee barn, birdhouse, butterfly house and birdfeeders are all provided in my garden.  With the exception of rabbits, which were eating everything, I welcome all the wildlife, mostly bluebirds who have nested in my box.  However, there was one place I had in the eave of my screened porch that was going to be off-limits to the birds.  They had found it was a nice place to perch and deposit their poop all around the column below. I ordered a spiked piece of mailable metal designed to deter birds from landing.  After much struggle, on a ladder, at an odd angle, I proceeded to install this device, satisfied I had taken care of the issue.

I went out of town for a week and when I returned there was some weeding to be done so I was out there grooming my flowerbeds when I saw house finches go into the area I had “restricted”.  To my dismay, I looked up and saw they had built a nest on top of the deterrent.  Immediately, I thought “oh, no you didn’t just build there”!  Impulsively, I grabbed a broom and proceeded to poke the nest out of its safe place.  It came tumbling to the ground and 3 tiny blue eggs fell to the concrete and yellow yolks burst out.  I was mortified.  I guess I did not anticipate that the eggs could already be in there.  I was devastated.  I was in shock.  How could I destroy something that I was advocating for?  So what if that wasn’t the ideal spot for a nest, in my opinion.  I was so quick to act that I didn’t think.  I couldn’t take it back.  I couldn’t fix it.  The parents returned over and over again and seemed to be confused about the missing nest.  I was totally devastated and ashamed.  Tears trickled down my face.  These beautiful birds are so special to me, yet I had determined their misfortune.  What an anomaly.

To complete the story, these parent birds are resilient, and I am so grateful that they did not give up.  They proceeded to rebuild their nest in a large metal sphere that hangs on my porch.  It is the ideal place!  Immediately they began gathering twigs and sprigs and formed a beautiful nest.  I can watch the birds sit on the nest and enjoy them as they grow their family.  It is a lesson in the danger of impulsivity and anger on my part.  In addition, it is a lesson for me to observe their adaptability and determination.  You can bet, I will think twice before raising a broom over my head again!

Tammy Harvey

6/13/2024

The Lost Tooth

 

The Lost Tooth

It would be the seventh baby tooth for the seven-year-old,

His Dad pulled it out like it was a morsel of gold,

No complaining, no resistance, the boy had been to this rodeo,

He was tired of the wiggly bit dangling there, hindering him so,

He walked right up and opened up wide,

His Dad’s big hand went gently inside,

Wham, bam, the tooth was out,

There was a slight pause then a gleeful shout,

“I’ll put it here, in the middle of the table, for safe keeping”, his dad said,

Amongst the lunch debris of the meal, we had just had,

Later on, I was cleaning up, I wiped the table really well,

Was the tooth really “lost”?... time would tell,

Later on, we looked at the table, but to our dismay,

The cleaning had really and truly wiped it away!

The lost tooth was “lost”, once again,

Sometimes in situations, you just can’t win,

We looked high and we looked low,

Searching on our hands and knees, you know,

Combing through the rug and seat cushions too,

Feeling helpless, not knowing what to do,

After checking the sink and down in the drain,

We had only to resolve and to carefully explain:

The lost tooth was lost, not figuratively, but literally,

The result of it did not change the boy’s sensibility,

The boy knew it was an accident and readily forgave,

The Tooth Fairy rewarded him, for he had been brave.

Tammy Harvey

6/13/2024

He Was Promoted

 

“He Was Promoted”

My Dad’s father passed unexpectedly at the age of sixty-three. He had a massive heart attack during his sleep.  It was a peaceful way to die.  My dad was only 35 years old, and I was almost eight.  I have a memory of it, but mostly just remember what my dad has said about it.  My grandfather had been a Baptist minister/farmer all of his life.  He had worked hard, preached hard, and prayed hard.  I know my dad respected him even though he had been extremely tough on my dad when he was a boy.  It was during the Great Depression that my dad grew up, and they had been tenant farmers for a dairy farm.  My Dad had gotten up at 4 am since he was old enough to help milk cows before going to school.  The story is that they didn’t have shoes to wear and wrapped burlap bags over their feet.  It was a difficult upbringing.  His father was strict and put the fear of God in my father, who was the fourth born of the five siblings. 

My grandfather, Samuel Rosco Paschal, died on Thanksgiving Day in 1967.  There was a hard freeze and a cold wind.  Snow covered the ground.  I remember my dad said how hard it was for the grave to be dug because the earth was so frozen.  I don’t remember the service, but I know my dad’s perspective.  When people offered their condolences to my dad for the loss of his father, he would say: “Dad was promoted”.  Now why does that particularly stand out to me from my childhood?  As a 64 -year-old myself I am reminded daily of this statement.  I lost my 60-year-old husband in 2018 and became a widow at 58.  After 33 years of marriage and three grown children, I have taken the perspective that my husband too “was promoted”.  How else can you explain an otherwise healthy person suddenly succumbing to death at such an early age?

I think my father always thought he would die young as well.  He is now 92 and physically he is doing well.  He had the “widow-maker” heart attack himself in his 50’s but survived with a dozen stents now placed in his heart.  I really can’t say why some people live to be in their 90’s while others are called home to their eternal resting place at an early age.  We are not supposed to know.  It is a plan God has devised for good.  I would like to think that God has chosen a person’s demise because he has a higher purpose for them, in other words “promoted”.  Promoted to a heavenly realm that we cannot see, but with faith and hope we can accept the promotion as God’s will and move forward with that perspective.  After all, this life is but a flicker compared to the eternal existence awaiting us.    

I wholeheartedly adopt my dad’s perspective that at the end of our lives “We are promoted”, promoted to a place of peace, rest and unconditional love to commune with God in Heaven.

RIP Jerry Harvey (4/26/1958 – 6/25/2018)

Posted on the 6-year Anniversary of his Promotion

by:  Tammy Harvey

6/13/2024

The Ultimate Thief

 

The Ultimate Thief

Tiny handprints on my window glass, crumbs on the floor,

Do I want to clean them off?  No, I just want more!

Toys thrown around the room and stools at the sink,

These are for my little ones; precious, don’t you think?

Diapers in the closet and a pack-n-play set up,

I always need to be prepared.  I just bought a sippy cup!

Then they crawl, then they walk, and soon they are playing t-ball,

Next thing you know, they are headed to school in the fall,

It is a true phenomenon for time is the ultimate thief,

Enjoy them while they are young, it is ever so brief,

Potty seats, dirty feet and play dough on the floor,

It’s just a season moving fast, so please just give me more!

Time moves faster, the older you get,

I know because I am a product of it,

So, put those tiny handprints all over my glass,

I want to preserve them, but they just won’t last!

Tammy Harvey

5/31/2024

Grand dogs (and Cat)

 

Grand dogs (and Cat)

I do have some pretty cool grand dogs to speak of,

They are so playful and openly giving of their love,

Bentley is a hunter’s dream, sniffing out the trail,

Sully is a runner’s dream, chased closely by ML,

They “fetch it up” nicely and are highly trained to obey,

And when they are “placed”, they always seem to stay,

Their humans have taken very, very good care of them,

With fenced backyards to run and an occasional place to swim,

They lead a very privileged life, just sleeping and eating, it’s true,

But when called on to perform, they do what they should do,

I guess I can’t forget that I have a grand cat too,

Black as night and stealthy, he goes by the name “Boo”!

Tammy Harvey

5/01/2024

Granddaughter #2

 

Granddaughter Number Two

Hey little one, there in your mother’s womb,

God is knitting you together, but we will see you very soon,

You will have so much love and a lot of playmates too,

You will have uncles and aunts, and grandparents, all for you,

But your Mama is your biggest fan, let’s just all be clear,

You are an answer to her prayer, from your mother to God’s ear,

Little boys are rough and tumble, parents love them so,

But to add a little girl is the frills and the pink bow,

I know you will be cherished by all of us, my dear,

You brothers and your daddy will protect you from your fear,

Your mom will nurture you through all the ups and downs,

But your faith in God will sustain you, His love knows no bounds,

If I have some message for you, I’d have to say, little one,

We can’t wait to meet you!  You are our honeybun!

Tammy Harvey

5/01/2024

Granddaughter #1

 

Granddaughter Number One

I call her “little girl”, as she is the first one,

If you saw her pretty face, you would be undone,

She is sweet and loving, her kisses will melt your heart,

We knew she was a keeper right from the very start,

Soon to be one, she has learned and grown,

She can feed herself and stand up on her own,

She will walk very soon, just mark my words,

Then run and jump- changing so fast, it's absurd,

She is a chunky monkey; her arms and legs have rolls,

Her hair has beautiful curls, and she has a kindred soul,

Her eyes resemble George, and her face resembles me,

At least that’s what others say, so it is, apparently,

She smiles and babbles and squeals a loud and piercing scream,

But with a lovely disposition that one can only dream,

What a gift this child has been, truly from above,

She is the definition of unconditional love,

If I had to give her my advice,

It would be the same as I’ve already given twice,

Stay young at heart, never grow old,

Your relationship with Christ is more precious than gold.

Tammy Harvey

5/01/2024

Grandson #2

 

Grandson Number Two

I call him “little bit” because he is younger,

Not because he is small or lacking in hunger,

He is a cutie with eyes that tantalize,

As blue and clear as a cloudless sky,

His expressions are endless and capture his spirit,

A jovial soul and talkative without limit,

His speech is unique, pronunciation is charming,

His fearlessness, however, is somewhat alarming,

He rides a balance bike with his feet in the air,

As he travels down a steep hill, without even a care,

He is funny and friendly, a pleasant little fellow,

He likes wizards and swords, but really, he is mellow,

A little guy with amazing math skills for his age,

Doing arithmetic in his head, the world is his stage,

Nearly 5 years old, he is a delightful young boy,

Who always seems to take interest in a new toy,

If I had to give him some advice,

I don’t think I’d have to think twice,

Stay young at heart, never grow old,

Your relationship with Christ is more precious than gold.

Tammy Harvey

5/01/2024

Grandson #1

 

Grandson Number One

With both front teeth missing, creating a huge open space,

With a smile, ear to ear, and the wind in his face,

My grandson rode by on a bike with ease,

With no training wheels, to him it was a breeze,

It was his first attempt, and he mastered it well,

A grand milestone, a new story to tell,

He is accomplishing all the goals a young lad will do,

He is experiencing adventures, all shiny and new,

I guess you could say, he is growing up fast,

A soon-to-be big brother of two, having a blast,

He is kind; he is smart and living his best life,

In my wisdom, I would give him this advice:

Stay young at heart, never grow old, and…

Your relationship with Christ is more precious than gold.

Tammy Harvey

5/01/2024

Keep a Watchful Eye

 

A Watchful Eye

Keep a watchful eye on life, signs are being given,

Subtleties that occur, I believe they are from heaven,

At the very least, they are reminders of a loved one, who has passed,

Time may heal the heart, but memories, they last,

Yesterday, I was driving along, not really going far,

On three occasions a bright red cardinal flew in front of my car,

If I had not been aware, I would have missed this precious sign,

Little messages from above, that are so deeply sublime,

He was saying “I am here with you, please remember me”,

I was thinking “there you are, I didn’t forget, your sign I clearly see”,

 Songs are playing in the store sometimes, noticeably not by accident,

Purposefully, they evoke in me a beloved memory, divinely sent,

There is excitement on my granddaughter’s face and exuberant delight,

When she sees a portrait of her grandfather visibly in her sight,

Although he passed a few years before she was even conceived,

It is as if that they have met before, she recognizes him, I believe,

After all, my daughter-in-law had a vivid dream before her pregnancy,

Where her dad handed her a baby girl, this is not all fantasy,

Call me crazy, I find great comfort, in looking for the signs,

You may also find solace, if you are so inclined,

Keep a watchful eye on life, signs are being given,

Subtleties that occur, I believe they are from heaven.

Tammy Harvey

4/15/2024

Wolf Lodge

 

Wolf Lodge

There were children racing down the halls waving wands with lights,

On a quest, no less, at a paradise of fun, from morning to night,

An indoor waterpark, made to thrill young and old,

Was packed with adventure and excitement uncontrolled,

I had never been to something such as this, in my 64 years,

Now I’m engrossed in the thrill and wearing wolf ears!

The Great Wolf Lodge was a new experience for me,

Even though my grandson had been there when he was three!

A variety of slides, pools and water activity awaited us there,

The large twisting slides gave me a scare,

Lazy river, wave pool, hot tub was more my speed,

But I did step out of my comfort zone, indeed,

I took the challenge to ride on the slide with my son,

To prove I was not going to spoil all the fun,

Once I did that, my courage was inflated,

So, I stepped up to try the surfing simulator,

I guess you could say I didn’t wipeout,

Because at the top is where I hung out!

It was not easy to catch the wave,

But I tried anyway, because I was brave?

Brave or crazy, that is debatable,

The entire experience is totally relatable,

One of my favorite sites to watch was a ginormous tipping bucket,

Periodically dumping copious gallons of water on those who didn’t duck it,

It was a day to remember; I won’t soon forget,

I haven’t gotten the water out of my human ears, yet!

Tammy Harvey

3/29/2024

A Chance Meeting

 

A Chance Meeting

We went on quite an adventure to Williamsburg, V-A,

Learned a lot of historical facts too along the way,

But one of the highlights of our trip was on an elevator,

Meeting a famous couple; I’ll tell you who, later,

A chanced meeting, only going from G to the first floor,

The introductions began with the opening of the door,

The man was 95 and using a cane to walk,

His wife was 93, and she began to talk,

“What is your name?” she cordially asked of my grandson,

When he said “Charlie”, the conversation had begun,

She replied, “his name is Charlie too”, pointing to the man,

His last name is “Brown”, believe it if you can,

“You are meeting the original Charlie Brown”, she boasted,

With a smile proudly on her face, our full attention she hosted,

But she had another bit of information hidden up her sleeve,

Which was the figurative cherry on top, I truly believe,

She said, “My name is Pat”; Just like that,

“But you can call me Peppermint Patty”,

She announced: “We are Charlie Brown and Peppermint Patty!”,

We knew she had probably shared that story before,

But we were honored and will remember it forevermore,

Chance meetings can be a big part of a trip,

Especially when they are characters from a notable comic strip!

Tammy Harvey

3/13/2024

A Swim Down Memory Lane

 

Swim, Baby, Swim

Did you ever take lessons to learn how to swim?

I did, at the YMCA, and I still remember them,

I was probably seven years old, and it was an indoor pool,

During the winter, while we were still in school,

We were required to wear bathing caps back then,

We learned to tread water and to dive in,

We were taught to go to the bottom to retrieve a penny,

Holding our breath until we didn’t have any,

It seemed like miles to the bottom, and ear pressure was real,

Accomplishing these tasks was a really big deal,

We learned all the swim strokes after a while:

Breaststroke, back stroke, side stroke, and freestyle,

We were taught all of the kicking techniques:

Frog kicks, scissor kicks, flutter kicks, with constructive critiques,

Our lessons were thorough; we were very well-trained,

That’s a nice little swim down memory lane,

Nearly six decades later, I watch my granddaughter learn,

She is only 8 months old and it’s hard to discern,

How a small baby like that can have no fear,

She loves the water and does not shed a tear,

She is learning to float, to go under and recover,

What a wonderful skill for a baby to discover!

Tammy Harvey

3/2/2024

Aerial Yoga

 

Challenging yet Rewarding

This is 2024,

And I just turned 64,

I wanted to try something new because, well, “yolo”,                 

I think I was having a case of severe “fomo”,               

So, I signed up for an aerial yoga class,

Praying it would not kick my a**,

Yoga, I’d done before, but that was last decade,

I was hoping afterwards I wouldn’t need first aide,

Facing the unknown, I showed up, yoga mat in tow,

Not sure if I was strong enough, but willing to give it a go,

A beautiful pink silk fabric I chose, hanging gracefully like a sling,

Made a lovely first impression, as we sat in it like a swing,

It got more challenging as we began to learn to hang inverted,

But I did what I could do and with each class I got more asserted,

The stretching and decompression of my body was of great benefit,

It was difficult, yet rewarding, and the satisfaction was legit,

I completed the course of four classes and felt quite accomplished,

Some younger students in the class were completely astonished,

It felt good to try something new, out of my comfort zone,

In fact, if I had to describe it with an emoji- my mind was blown!

Tammy Harvey

3/1/2024

For my older readers:

yolo = (you only live once)

fomo= (fear of missing out)

The Perfect Family Reunion

 

The Family Reunion Photograph

Why do I have a black-white panoramic photograph of a 1953 family Reunion hanging on my wall?  I don’t know any of these people.  I only know it was the Annual Blue Clan Reunion held in Lakeview, NC on June 28, 1953.  This information is printed clearly on the corner of the photo.  I was in awe of it the moment I saw this gem at the thrift store where I purchased it.  The memories it invokes are priceless.  First, I was surprised by the high quality of the image and secondly, the fact the photograph was panoramic in that day and time.  It was a Sunday afternoon, and the photo was taken outside amongst a clump of tall pine trees.  Everyone is wearing their Sunday best.  There are all generations of people in this photo.  Some are holding cups and/or plates.  There are lots of lovely hats and dresses amongst the matriarchs. Some are wearing pearl necklaces, and the hairstyles are very predictable. Many of the older men are wearing neckties or bowties with a few sporting fedora style straw hats.   The little children are in the foreground. The boys are dressed in collared shirts and the girls in summer dresses.  In the background there are three cars parked beneath the pine trees.  A closer look reveals a long table with tablecloths and an abundance of food hidden amongst the group.  I am so enamored by this photograph.  The nostalgia of 1950’s fashion, the simplicity and the love of family are all represented in this image.  I did a quick count and estimated that there are 200 people in this photo.  It is an amazing feat to assemble so many people together who are related to each other.  No cell phones and no internet were involved.  Only 9 percent of households had a television set in 1950, however, two thirds of households had at least one telephone.

It was the perfect day…truly.  June 28 is considered the perfect date. Why?  It is because both 6 and 28 are mathematically perfect numbers.  A perfect number’s divisors add up to themselves.

For instance, the number 6 has factors of 3,2, and 1 which add up to six.  Twenty-eight has factors of 14,7,4,2, and 1 which add up to 28.  No other date on the calendar has that distinction. In fact, there are only two more perfect numbers, 496 and 8,128 that occur between 1 and 1 million.

So, when I say it was the perfect day, it was the perfect day for a family reunion on June 28, 1953.

Tammy Harvey

2/17/2024