Author: allibamabell

Southern born and bred, I’ve carried this accent and Golden Eagle Syrup all over the world. I tend to wander down rabbit trails daily and goat feathers get in my way often. I’ve tried to curb the tendency but haven’t had much success. I am a jack-of-all-crafts and master of none although I am a pretty good needleworker. I dabble in all sorts of crafts, you name it and I’ve probably tried it. However, needlepoint has become my passions in recent years. I occasionally like to cook but would rather bake a cake than cook dinner. I’m redeemed by the blood of Christ and try to live in a way to glorify Him daily. I have been blessed with a wonderful family and friends and an amazing life I could never have imagined. We’ve traveled and moved all over the world and enjoyed every minute of it, making wonderful memories along the way.

Happy Birthday, America!

~ allibamabell ~ Leave a comment

Dear United States of America,

Two hundred and fifty years is nothing to sneeze at and today we celebrate your big birthday. And you should be celebrated for lasting this long. It hasn’t been easy to get this far…there’s been bright shining times and dark, bleak times; times of struggles and prosperity, but through it all, you’ve held strong and persevered.

You were created by generations of people that had dreams and hopes and worked hard to form a nation like no other. They were brave men and women that stood up for what they believed in and were willing to fight and die for those beliefs. The ones that signed their names to the document we call The Declaration of Independence were maybe the bravest of them all because they were gambling everything on the dedication and endurance of the American people.

You started out small with 13 colonies and have grown into an amazing 50 states along with 14 Territories that belong to you. All who fly the beautiful Stars and Stripes proudly.

From the very beginning, your sons and daughters have shed their blood for the freedom and safety of the citizens of this great land. It’s not something to be taken lightly or forgotten. You’ve weathered uprisings, conflicts, and wars within your boundaries. You’ve protected and stood up for others in the world when they needed it. Given a helping hand and shared your wealth throughout the world.

You are made up of some of the most breathtaking vistas in the world. From the beaches that border your lands to the mountains that rise tall, with hills, lakes, and prairies scattered throughout, you provide a vast array of beautiful places for your people to live and play. You are filled with wonders…Redwoods rising majestically in California, the roaring Falls of Niagara in New York, the vastness of the Grand Canyon in Arizona, and the spewing of Old Faithful in Wyoming, just to mention a few. There are so.many.more. The Great Lakes of the north, the swamps and bayous of the south, the deserts and oases of the west, and caves and rocky shores of the east are just a part of what makes up this amazing land. Your rivers and lakes are full of fish and creatures found nowhere else on earth, the meadows and forests are home to countless varieties of wildlife, and a multitude of gorgeous flowers and birds brighten the landscape throughout. You are blessed to have an unparalleled National Park System that preserves and protects so many of these amazing areas.

You’ve birthed poets and painters, warriors and explorers, inventors and innovators, authors, scientists, teachers, leaders, preachers, actors and singers, athletes, businessmen, and everything in between. So many that have made an impact not only within your boundaries, but in the world. But let’s not forget the ones that haven’t become household names…the everyday people…the factory workers, the coal miners, the shopkeepers, the street sweepers, the many, many men and women who have made this country great just by going about their everyday lives. They were and are living it as best they can, making their little corner of the world a better place just by being in it. THIS is one of your greatest strengths, America. The everyday people that love you and their neighbors and get up every day no matter what and contribute to your good.

You’ve been a beacon of light and liberty and freedom for people of all nations from the very beginning, America. You continue to be so as evidenced by the number of people that want to come here and chase their dreams.

As wonderful as you are, America, you are not perfect. Like anything, you have your weaknesses and warts. You have made mistakes and had trials that seemed unending. Sometimes, that is all we, your people, see and we get down on you, when we should be celebrating your strengths. Don’t get me wrong, when something is broken, we need to fix it. Try to improve on those weaknesses and warts. But also remember and concentrate on the good things, too.

There’s no doubt it’s been a tumultuous 250 years. But through it all, there’s been hope. Hope for the future; hope that the ideals and dreams of the Founding Fathers would win out and the fledging nation they created would continue on and become better.

My roots run deep in this land of liberty. My ancestors fought and died for this young nation, their blood soaking into the soil as they fought for something greater than themselves. They were a few of many that did so. I was raised with and still adhere to the values of God, family, country. I am thankful that I live where I can worship my God and love my family and country freely.

I am happy and proud to call you home, America.

Today we celebrate a mighty milestone many thought we’d never achieve. May you continue to grow and get better every day. May God bless you and the people that make you. Long may the eagles soar over your great land and your flag fly high. HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

Love,

A Proud American

” I’m proud to be an American where at least I know I’m free. And I won’t forget the men who died, who gave that right to me. And I’d gladly stand up next to you and defend her still today. Cause there ain’t no doubt I love this land. God Bless the U.S.A. ” Lee Greenwood

US Flag flying over the USS Constitution in Boston Harbor.

Half a Century

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Well, here it is almost another month gone by before I drop in again! When I was a little girl, I remember being so excited for events that were on the horizon…my birthday, Christmas, a trip to Six Flags, my aunt coming to visit, all sorts of things. And it would seem like forever before they would arrive. Time would move as slow as a molasses. My grandmother told me once (when I complained about how long it was going to be before something arrived) that time would speed up as I got older and that things would get here before I knew it. I didn’t understand how it worked at that age by any means. If you could speed it up, why not speed it up so whatever would get here sooner! Time is time and you can’t slow it down or speed it up as much as we’d like to be able to do so. But she was right. Now, time goes by as fast as kudzu growing on a hillside. I attribute it to getting older, being busier, and my perspective changing because you really can’t change time! 

Last night, we attended KB’s 50th High School Class Reunion. FIFTY YEARS. How can that be?! He’s not old enough to have been out of school for fifty years! We had a great time…we always do at his reunions. It’s well done and it’s just fun to see those old friends and reminisce. There were a lot of ‘remember when’s’ and great stories told throughout the night.  One of the ladies at our table made the comment that it was half a century since they’d graduated. Half.a.century. Let that soak in. When you think about it like that, it could be a little depressing. I mean fifty years is bad enough but half a century?! 

Not everyone gets those fifty years after graduation as evidenced by the Tribute Table. They had a Tribute Table where there a photo of each person is displayed with a candle glowing in their memory.  Some of them were gone soon after graduation and some just in the last few years. I watched classmate after classmate walk over to that table throughout the night. Several would reach out and touch one of the photos, some would bow their heads and say a prayer, some would just stand and stare. But they all were visibly touched by the memorial or maybe it was the memories.  I’m so glad these classmates aren’t forgotten and everyone was able to have a few minutes to pay their respects to them.

I like to think of those fifty years as a gift and a blessing from God. A lot can happen in 50 years…you go to college (or not), get a job, maybe get married, maybe have some kids, buy a house, travel, move, get grandkids, take up a hobby, watch fads come and go and come back again, go through countless ups and downs. You meet new people, reconnect with old friends, make a difference in someone’s life and have them make an impact on yours. Everyone’s fifty years is different yet the same. We’re all living our lives as best we can. And, if we’re lucky, we get to come back together and celebrate a time in our lives of shared experiences that helped shape those fifty years. After all this time, you aren’t the same person you were and neither are they. The labels we were stamped with back then no longer apply. But, the friendships that were formed and the memories that were made forged a bond that is never really broken. My fiftieth reunion isn’t for several more years but I’m already looking forward to seeing people I haven’t seen in a long time and catching up and reminiscing! 

“Growing apart doesn’t change the fact that for a long time we grew side by side; our roots will always be tangled. I’m glad for that.” — Ally Condie

Rabbit Rabbit

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Rabbit Rabbit! Superstition says if these are the first words you say on the first of day of a new month, it will bring you good luck for that month. I had never heard this until several years ago when a friend posted it on Facebook. I was a bit lost when her post just said, “Rabbit Rabbit”. After her explanation, I did a little digging and sure enough, it’s an English tradition dating to the early 20th century. Why or how it began is unclear but the first record of it is from a 1909 English periodical. I’ve seen it a lot more often in the last several years. Or maybe I’m noticing it more now that I know what it means and why people say it.

How in the world have we gotten to June 1st already?! Almost half of the year is gone and I am just now writing 2026 instead of 2025 when I have to date something. Although I had great intentions of actually getting more things done than I have, it’s been a good first half of the year. Busy, full days that fly by make for weeks and then months that are gone before you know it. I’ve been working on managing my time better and some days I succeed better than others. I have gotten a few things ticked off of my to do lists but for every one I mark off, I seem to add two or three more!

Summer is the time that some of my activities take a break and I really try to get things done. But, so far, I’ve just enjoyed relaxing and not doing a whole lot instead. I am slowly working on that to do list and will get some of it done but I’ve come to appreciate just sitting and taking things in like the birds singing in the morning or the squirrels chasing each other up one tree and down another. I spent way too much of my morning chasing a bluebird with my camera one day last week. Never got the photo and nothing much else got done either. And I’m okay with that!

One thing I’m going to work on is making more appearances here…I’ve started so many things in my head but they never seem to make it to the computer!. Hopefully the second half of the year will be much more productive than the first! Today is what a dear friend of mine calls ‘a perfect Monday’. It’s the first day of the month on the first day of the week so it’s a perfect time to start something (anything) you’ve been putting off. I would agree. So, here we are, off to a good start with a new blog post.

If, like me, you didn’t know about Rabbit Rabbit or forgot to say it first thing this morning, there’s a second chance loop hole to try! Just say  “tibbar tibbar” or “Black Rabbit” right before you go to sleep.

Writing into a New Year

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I don’t know how 2026 got here so fast but I blinked and here we are whether we’re ready or not! Life has been a little hectic lately….there’s never enough hours in the day to do all that I need to do much less what I want to do. I had great intentions and a long to do list to accomplish before January 1 arrived but the thing about time is that no matter how hard you try you just can.not. slow it down. And no matter how hard you try you really just cannot get all.the.things. done.

For a while now I’ve had the urge to start writing again and about a month ago, several things sort of came together that pushed me toward just doing it so here I am. I have no idea where this is going to go but I have to do it and see where it leads. This is going to be a blog about a lot of nothing in particular and a little about a lot of things. I tend to ramble and my stories and conversations almost always go down what my husband calls a rabbit trail… getting sidetracked from the main topic into connected but unrelated ones that sometimes have interesting tidbits or ideas. Similar to a rabbit hopping from one path to another; hence the name. Bear with me and eventually you’ll get the point of the story. You may have had dinner and taken a nap by the time we get there though. And not everything has to have a point. Sometimes it’s just a story.

There’s no telling what you’ll find when you come to visit here…a story about my day, pictures of my travels, some needlepoint pieces, a new recipe, or it could be you’ll find my musings on a random thought I had that day. Whatever the topic of the day is, you’re always welcome to join me on my porch and chase rabbits with me.

January 1…The first day of a new year. It signifies moving forward and making changes. The hope of good things to come. Anticipation. So many unknowns. Leaving the things we don’t want in the past. New beginnings. Chasing dreams and working toward goals. One thing I’ve learned is that it’s not going to be what I expect it to be. Things I could never imagine will happen. Things I expect to happen won’t. Some things are predictable but so much is not. One thing I know for certain is that no matter what the new year brings, life goes on and God is in control and is going to be there for me no matter what.

I’ll be spending my New Year’s Day watching football and cheering on my Crimson Tide. I’ll eat my black-eyed peas, pork, and cabbage for luck and prosperity. I hope I’ll be able to get a little stitching done and maybe get some things organized for some goals I have for the new year.

Resolutions? Nope. I don’t do those anymore. I used to every year. Lose weight, exercise more, read more, etc. Very general stuff and none of it was motivating to me at all. Now my goal is to love my family well, trust in God more, and just be a better person. I do have ideas of some things I’d like to do in the year but if they don’t happen, it’s okay. If they don’t happen, it’s probably because something else did, not because I gave up or failed at something. I will write down some goals and things to work on but I don’t consider them resolutions. Maybe they are but I sure don’t call them that!

” And now we welcome the new year. Full of things that have never been.” Rainer Maria Rilke.