Slight Detour: Martha and Serendipity

I love this Friday morning.

A little fog. A little cold. A lotta blue sky.

All of that is topped off with a few snow-capped mountains, including Schweitzer.

Looks like those ski runs are filling up with white stuff.

After two rainy, somewhat gloomy days, the feeling of exhilaration this morning is most welcome.

More yard work can be completed today.

I have to say that I'm feeling an extra dose of inspiration for my yard projects this morning after watching the Netflix documentary about Martha Stewart.

Talk about high standards in yard and garden work: they've all paid off for the years of outdoor creativity and work this influencer of all influencers has injected into her home and surrounding acreage.

I think I want to watch the documentary again because, as interesting as it was, I did nod off for a small portion.

Plus, her story is fascinating, somewhat sad but very inspiring for those of us who like to grow things.

If I could add just one percent of the beautiful ideas she has put into her surroundings to our Lovestead, I would be thrilled.

Martha drives around her place with a 4-wheeler, and, in one scene while passing by an large assortment of colorful trees, she notes, "I planted every one of those."

It's an amazing story, and I'd love to find the secret for how some people are so endowed with energy, creativity, smarts and vision.

One has to respect Martha, even though she went to jail.

It's the fact that she went to jail that impresses me in this world where so many people work so hard to avoid taking responsibility for their actions.

She did her time, and when that time was completed, she wasted no time getting right back to work and probably with a whole new outlook on life.

Anyway, the documentary has me thinking of little projects I could do to enhance the esthetics of our Lovestead.

It was definitely worth the watch, and, for me, to watch it again.

Stay tuned.

After the rain stopped yesterday, I did a few more rounds with the lawnmower, picking up leaves.

Then, I told the dogs we were going for a drive. Bill had taken off for Spokane to watch the ZAGS women play California (and lose).

When I pulled out of the driveway, we had about an hour of good daylight left, and I wanted to take some pictures.

So, I drove north on HWY 95 and after making a left turn, realized that I had taken the wrong left turn.

My plan had been to drive along Bailey Road at Colburn because it's another place that's almost alway pretty.

"Oh well," I thought, "might as well go down this one because I haven't driven it in a while."

So, I drove about half a mile and, upon turning around, I could see a herd of cattle with some yellow trees in the background.

I took a couple of photos and then a car came my way. Upon approaching my car, the driver rolled down her window and smiled.

When I told her I was out taking pictures, she suggested that I come to her house further up the road and take some photos of the creek.

That seemed like an okay idea to me so I turned around and soon arrived at her home where she greeted me and ushered me over to the creek.

It happens to be Colburn Creek, which supplies the Colburn area with water. As the stream passes by her house, it presents both a pretty scene and some lovely sounds.

About 45 minutes later, when it was just about dark, I finally left Mary Jo's house, feeling like I had definitely run across a new friend on this chance meeting along a country road.

She's a West Virginia native, and she figures that she has found a little piece of Heaven with her lovely home and that babbling brook where her kids played on the island while growing up.

Mary Jo and her husband have been foster parents, and they have children of their own.

Her story is fascinating, and for one who likes to tell stories and to learn the stories of new friends, I must say those 45 minutes in that gorgeous and peaceful setting were delightful from start to finish.

Yesterday's moments of serendipity provided a perfect example what I so love about adventuring with my camera down area roadways during a little segment of each day.

One never knows where that road will take you.

New friends; new thoughts to ponder.

Not a bad combination.

Thanks, Mary Jo, for your gracious invitation and for this new friendship.