Crazy Weather, a Little Fun and Country Roads

The weather the last few weeks has been crazy! My heart breaks for the families of the tornado outbreak last week. So much devastation!! We had 8 deaths here in Virginia. I captured a few storm clouds where I live shown above.

I was in awe of the Tuscaloosa tornado footage that I saw. Unbelievable! That tornado was a monster!! But for the grace of God.....

I will continue to keep the victims' families and those who suffered injury and loss in my prayers.

Well, what I can say? My kids love McDonalds. I think it's a cheap treat on the weekends. They have a strawberry lemonade out now that I figured I'd try. I'm not a huge lemonade fan, but it was pretty good. :)

Out in the country here, we don't have trash pick-up. We have to haul our trash to the local dump. I don't mind. It's one less bill we have to pay. There are some stray cats who live in the vicinity of the dump. Poor guys. Someone has taken pity on the sweet felines and brings them food and water.

We took a little road trip last week to the Chuck E Cheese in a nearby town. Here's my granddaughter going down the slide. She goes down on her stomach. LOL.

My daughter and granddaughter getting ready to have some fun at Chuck E Cheese....

Daughter-in-Law went too. She and my daughter had fun with the tokens and ended up with all of these tickets to "cash-in" for prizes. Cheap stuff, you know....but it's all in good fun.

Here is a pretty pink rose blooming beside my house. We have pink and red roses. I wish I had more of a green thumb. I'd plant a lot of rose bushes. It's such a beautiful flower.

I was off of work on Tuesday and decided I'd go for a ride on the country back roads near where I live. It's a small community with lots of Americana history. Here's a bench someone built on the side of a road. Haha. I'm not sure why exactly. It's kinda in the middle of nowhere.

There are lots of old farms nearby. I just adore living in the country. The city would drive me crazy.

Lots of old, abandoned barns, buildings, etc dot the landscape.

Here's an old closed establishment not too far from us. I didn't even know this was there. I can't make out what was on the sign.

Another old building of some kind...

Here's an old abandoned house. Oh, I can just imagine that this house used to be a lively dwelling.
What's the old saying? If walls could talk....

I have recently subscribed to Country and Country Extra magazines. Oh, how I love the pictures and stories in these magazines.

None can describe the sweets of country life

But those blest men that do enjoy and taste them

Plain husbandman tho' far below our pitch

Of fortune placed, enjoy a wealth above us

To whom the earth with true and bounteous justice

Free from war's cares, returns an easy food

They breathe the fresh and uncorrupted air

And by clear brooks enjoy untroubled sleeps

Their state is fearless and secure, enrich'd

With several blessings, such as greatest kings

Might in true justice envy, and themselves

Would count too happy if they truly knew them

-Thomas May

Looking forward to the weekend....