Spring Offerings Sale.....

Monday March 2, 7pm

Visit us at

www.picturetrail.com/yellowdoglane

Our album of Offerings will open promptly at 7 pm EST and is 

filled with hand mades, spring florals and more!

You will be able to purchase directly from the pages.

This will be our first time using the PayPal cart and check out at the time of sale.

Here's hoping there will be no glitches and all will go smoothly!

We hope you'll have some time to stop in and take a peek!

Happy March from the Lane!

Sharon

Forgot, not really.....

just busy finding,

Okay, so I have missed a few or two weeks of a word and I'm late on it this week but it's here and I may keep it for a bit.  Do you realize how hard it is to find your balance, keep your balance, share your balance?  And I don't mean the staying upright on your feet kind of balance.....

although that's pretty important too, and sometimes a thing I have trouble with!

Then there's the balance you find in the check book or accounting and all that kind of mind boggling stuff.  That's really not what I'm working on either now that my taxes are done.  

I'm really just talking about keeping things going smoothly, on an even keel and free 

from drama.  Now that might just make you stop and think about how hard it is to find that type of balance, right?  Well believe me, it is...for me anyway.  

I've found it to be a bit easier if I get up, stay in my pj's and don't leave the drive way.  I also realize that this method isn't very realistic for too many days in a row.  I can only send Big Pops to the grocery so many times on his own before all we have in the house to eat are Little Debbie's, Sour Cream and Onion Chips, Honey Nut Cheerio's, PBJ and Captain Morgan and A&W Root beer.  The latter, mixed together, making me lose a different kind of balance.

I think finding the kind of balance I desire is to start by choosing your battles.  Make a list of them and cross off the ones that really aren't worth it and then go with the worthy ones.

Finding balance with my time is a struggle but worth the battle so that's where I'm at first.

Unfortunately some of that time has to be spent going to the grocery so we can have real food in the house to actually cook and eat.  To balance the unpleasantness of this task I try to 

dance down at least one full aisle, or two if possible.  

I smile at people, help them find items.....sometimes their cars in the parking lot.  

Find a good magazine I can look forward to looking at when I'm home and most importantly, buying enough stuff so that I can relish in the thought on my ride home that I won't have to do this for 

at least another couple of weeks!

It's really eyeopening at how much meaning each little word I look to choose has and how different each of these meanings can be.  

Heck, I bet I might even be smarter by the time I'm done with all this word stuff.....

and better yet, I might be able to balance on one foot while putting my sock on with one hand behind my back.  Talk about balance!

Watch for a Spring Offerings update coming next week.....

we've been busy with more than just finding balance here on the Lane.

Remember, if you can be anything....

Be kind.

Sharon 

Impact......

make your impact on others and all around you, good, not bad

positive instead of negative.  Kind, no meanness.  

It won't only make life better for everyone you contact with but it will make your life a whole 

lot happier and full, too!  Make your impact count in a good way.

My word coming up.....

don't have one!

Don't worry, I have many more for the year....and that might make some worry, so remember the rule,

you don't have to read my ramblings, but.....you just never know what you might miss!

I've been busy this past week gathering tax info and it seems that mostly brought the bad 

words to mind.  I vowed not to share swears so it kinda ruled all those tax words out.  

Today I almost wrote "migraine" on by board and then decided that wouldn't be a very fun word 

to explore and it would most likely cause most of you to suffer one yourself, so.....

no word it is.  

Big Pops will be taking Adam to the airport in the big city to the south one morning this week.  I'm toying with going along for the ride as I'm sure it will provide good fodder for a funny life story.

Remember BP and the big city.  The fact that they'll be leaving at 3 am or so is holding me back

on deciding to go....we shall see.  

Working on spring and Easter offerings that I hope to be sharing with you soon.

Will give you a heads up as to when that will be.

How are you all doing on your "word(s)" for the year, month, week, day?

Share if you care to!

From the Lane,

Sharon

Start.....

my word for the past week.  

Had to wrap my head around this little five letter word several time during the week.  Several have asked, "start what".  I decided my answer was/is,

"just start", "start something....anything", "start something big....small, or in between"

"start a project, start to simplify.... a diet, a book, hugging more, complaining less"

"start to make it a priority to treat others with kindness, always"

Believe me, I wrapped my head around this little word so many times that I could write the first chapter of that book I want to start with just that word and how I've tried to bring meaning to it!

Just because my week is past and I'm on to a new word, doesn't mean I will leave this first word of 2020 behind.  In fact, my plan is to carry it with me, tucked in my watch pocket all the way to 2021!

I will journal along the way with more "starts" of the year and quite possibly share with you.... that is if you're interested.  And I guess if you aren't, you don't have to read.  Just pass on by or unfollow.

Start your year with what brings you and others in your life enjoyment, and if it's ditching my ramblings, so be it.  Although it will sadden me to see you go..... but START!

My new word.....

and yes, gonna have to wrap this old brain around this one too, but this quote I came across has given me many places to start :) my thoughts.  

We have family coming to watch the big game and that means our night will be filled with lots of fun and laughter.

We wish for your night to be the same.

Have you got a word for the year, month, week?  

Please share if you do.  I will be sharing some of your words along the way, but only with your permission.  Some have shared some great ones already!

Now, off to make some memories.....

From the Lane,

Sharon

My word......

Need to start somewhere every day....every single day!

Where will you start?

Word(s)......

I am only hoping none of you have been holding your breath in anticipation of my revealing my 

"word" for the year.  Or for that matter for a post from me at all.  

I am embarrassed to say that I checked back on my 2019 posts and sadly there were only five,

and two of those were in January.  

Time, circumstance.....life, I guess is all I can offer as an excuse, along with the lack of much to inspire me enough to find the words to write.  

I seem to be having the same problem with choosing my "word" for 2020.

Thought I had it and then it just kind of fizzled on me.  I'm not sure why, but it did.  

I tossed around many over the past few weeks, more forced than fun, in desperation of choosing.

I even went so far as it close my eyes, open the dictionary, put my finger on a page and.....

well, believe me, it just wasn't a word that I even want to share!

So.....getting to the point, I don't have a "word".  

Too many choices, too much indecision.  I just couldn't settle on a "word"

I have solved the dilemma.  I'm not going to choose a word.  Nope.  

Not just one anyway.....I'm going to choose a new word each week!  

So many words with so much meaning and I don't want to choose just one.  

I'm in charge here so a word each week it will be!

This sweet little black board is where I write my special word.  Seeing it each morning as I prepare for my day it makes me pause to ponder.

As you can see, the board is blank.  I have given myself a 7pm deadline each Sunday for my new word choice.  I have awhile yet......

stay tuned!

My hope is that 2020 has started out in a good way for all of you and that it will continue in an even better way.  We have had sad happenings for our start and take each day as it comes with faith that 

good things will be on the agenda from here on out.  

Tossing around some ideas for a bit later in the year and will keep you in the loop 

as they come to realization.  

Thank you all for your friendship and continued interest in our life,

here on the Lane.  

Did you pick a "word".....please do share!

Sharon

Night out.......

and no, not on the town.

On the town really isn't our thing quite frankly.  

You might say our idea of "on the town" would likely be traveling the dirt roads, checking out the countryside, looking for deer....and this time of year, checking out the lights the country folk put up.  

Now I don't want to brag or anything but...... we did head to the bit bigger town/city to the north of us, heck they even have a University.  We didn't go to the University, although the FSU Bulldogs were playing the NCAA semi final game at the home field and would've been something down our alley had we thought ahead.  But, we didn't.  

We waltzed our way right on through town to the Dollar Tree......I know right, talk about hob knobbin' and we had the most fun!  First off I headed right for the Holiday Headband section.  I mean the Girls and me have to have our holiday bling.  I tried my best to get Big Pops to pick one out but he just grinned and said, "nah, I'll pass"  I told him he'd be sorry later when he seen how cute ours looked.  He grinned some more.  

I needed some cheater glasses, we needed some cards.  We found all we went after and left the DT as happy campers and off to dinner we went.  

Now.....I use the term "dinner" very loosely.  We didn't go where you go in and sit down and be waited on.  We didn't even go where you go in, place your order at a counter and then sit down and eat.  Nope, not us.  Not tonight anyway.....we went to McDonald's and went through the drive thru!!  

Big Pops has seen the limited time sandwich they were offering, 

the Bacon BBQ Double Meat Burger.  Only like 950 calories each....and a large order of fries to boot.

I will gain 5 lbs from the measly little cheeseburger I ate and he will lose 5 because of the energy it took to eat the monstrosity he had.  Go figure that.

We were very happy at the window though......

We found an empty spot in the lot and back in so we could people watch.....another favorite of ours!

You just never know what you might see, it really can be an adventure.  

Our next destination was the wonderful light show we had heard about not to far from us at 

The Castle in the Canadian Lakes district.  Of course we hit all the back roads to reach our destination and seen so many beautiful light displays along the way.  

We weren't quite sure what to expect when we reached The Castle but we were pleasantly surprised by the beauty of what greeted us......

We were able to park and take a stroll around the complex and it was beautiful!  

The show can be viewed on Friday & Saturday evening through I believe the first weekend in January

We finished our stroll, loaded back up in the Silverado and made our way over the river and down the back roads to YellowDog Lane..... filled with the joy of seeing the lights of Christmas and the contentment of a night together, out on the town.  

May you all be as blessed.

From the Lane,

Sharon and Big Pops

p.s.  I did try to get BP to join me in a bit of a two step in the Dollar Tree and he turned so red I thought he might burst into flames so I told him we could wait until we got to The Castle.  

You might just hear about it...... :) 

Heart Squeeze.....

you all have them, I just know you do.  You might not call them by the same name but

no matter on that....they happen to all of us.

It's that feeling you get in your chest, right there in your heart....like a squeeze.

Sometimes it's so intense it brings you to tears.  Happy tears or tears of sadness, depends on what caused the squeeze.  

Other times it's more fluttery, like a squeeze that's just passing through.  Usually brought on by a memory.  The flutter squeeze can lift you up or it can bring you down....again, depends on what brought it on.  

Then there are those that last for days on end and you either wish they would never end or go away and never return.....depends on the cause.

I have lots of squeezes, some welcome, some not so much but I do try to embrace them all as they are a part of me....a memory of a loved one, thoughts of an experience, sadness, joy, anxiety.....

all bring on a squeeze of sorts.   Some present tense and in the moment, others past tense and 

a memory revisited.  All of them a piece of who we are, who we're going to be .....

where we've been, where we're going.  

Over the past year or so I've had daily ones brought on just by the thought of people who are special to me.  Too many of those intense ones bringing sad tears.  When these come I have to tell myself how blessed I am to have a love for someone that brings me these feelings.

Then there's the heart bursting squeeze you get when your two adult sons meet up after a few weeks separation and put a huge bear hug on each other.....kind of like a pride squeeze knowing I did something right.  

A squeeze when I see the Girls and the bond they share and another one when I have thoughts of the special ones no longer here to bond.  

When I realize I've inspired someone...squeeze.  Disappointed another....squeeze.

Got something right, squeeze....wrong, squeeze.

Stories I'm told, stories I tell.  Yup, squeezes

I just had a, bring a big smile and a happy heart squeeze, when Big Pops walked through the door after being at the cabin for a few days.

I could go on and on telling you about all of my HeartSqueeze moments but that would most likely bring you a not so good squeeze before much longer, so.....

I will wish you a new week filled with many a HeartSqueeze from blessings

 and few to none from strife.  If you get a chance to throw a squeeze on someone, 

make it a blessing.

If you have a heart, you've had a squeeze, and well, quite frankly if you don't, then you have a totally different issue.  

Sophie Lee.....

One year has passed since we said goodbye to this beautiful Girl.  We still see her sweet face, feel her gentle nudges and her need to calm and comfort.  

Our year has been one of loss and gain, sadness and joy, changes and constant.

The losses felt harder, the sadness more deep, the changes not easy.

The gains felt less, the joy not as full, the constant less steady.....

without you by our sides

We love and miss you every day Sophie Lee.  Every single day.

In our hearts and memories you remain.  

Ivy and Me......

and Lola make three!

Please welcome our newest family member,

Lola Lee Schwalbach

Sweet Lola was gifted to our family by Denise of Labradorable English Labs, 

same wonderful home our Ivy came from.  Lola came to Denise from Maple Creek Labs where Ivy's Dad Rocco resides!  The Girls aren't connected genetically but they are connected by a couple of wonderful top notch breeders of Yellow English Labs and we are over the moon happy to be given the opportunity to give another Girl from Ohio a home with us.  

It was a heart wrenching decision for Denise to make as she had never re homed one of her pups that she had chosen to keep.  She put much thought into it and she knew in her heart that it would be the best for Lola to be with us here on the Lane.  Not because she didn't love her immensely but because she loved her so much and wanted her to be where she got not only the love but all of the attention she deserved as well.  

She is a sweet, calm and obviously beautiful three year old, just three months older than Ivy....

I know, two three year olds in the house!!  What was I thinking?  

Thinking about how much fun I was gonna have, that's what!!

The Girls were fast friends right from the get go and Ivy is the happiest I've seen her since we said goodbye to our sweet Sophie!  Well, with the exception of a couple visits from Sister Rumor and her day with the Michigan Six.  

Seems to be there will be little adjustment with our new Girl as she's fitting in just fine already....even Isabelle has given her the nod.  

We are in hopes that many of you will get the chance to meet Lola in person and we know she would love that too.  She's sweet to the core, just like all our other Girls and we know you'll love her too!

Poor Big Pop's.....four Girls to one!  

Two blondes, a redhead and the unpredictable tortie....

He's one lucky guy!!

From the Lane,

Sharon

Ivy, Lola, Isabelle

& Big Pops

BELIEVE.....

my word for 2019

albeit a bit late to be sharing it with all of you, BELIEVE it is.

I have been very absent from my writings here this past year of 2018

Mostly I think, as often times my heart could only find sad things to write,

and as the year dragged on, I lost words to put on paper, try as I might.  

It was a year of loss.  Our last parent, Mom Ione.  A final goodbye to our dear sweet Sophie.

A devastating diagnosis for my 23 year old nephew.  Kind, sweet, loving.

Talented, intelligent and with oh so much to offer this world.  

And those are just a few of the life changing days dealt us in 2018.  

We also had joy filled days as well.  Family gatherings filled with laughter.  Meetings with friends that warmed the heart.  My trip to Disney World with my brother and family....a celebration of life for my sweet nephew.  

Gatherings with friends who have become family and so much more.

We take Happy with Sad.  Laughter with Tears.

Joys with Sorrows.

And we BELIEVE.

We believe in Life and Love 

Family and Friends

God and Miracles

We believe that good things will happen in this New Year

We believe that our prayers will be answered for miracles of healing,

mending of fences and broken hearts

and we believe in all things good.....

believe along with us 

And if you might....send a prayer for a miracle sent our way

Happy New Year

Thank you for your support of my little dream here on the Lane....

a dream I would throw to the wind if it would bring us the miracle we pray for.

May it be your best year yet.....

From the Lane,

Sharon