Dreaming Miss Daisy

First impressions are rather important! And first dreams are too! Anyway-- they are to a 5 year old child, such as myself. One of the most vivid dreams I can remember having takes me back 51 years ago! Really!

We lived in a small rural town in Southeastern Utah, where barnyards were more the "norm", than not. We raised cows, chickens, rabbits, sheep, and horses. And pets, to boot! Taking care of animals was a part of our country life.

Our milk cow was a Jersey.  Her name was Daisy. She had velvety golden brown fur and the biggest, dreamiest, brown eyes you ever saw. Her eyelashes were thick and oh… so long. Her eyes were hypnotizing. Every time I looked into her eyes, I could see my own reflection. Daisy wore a brassy brown cow bell around her neck so dad could keep her within hearing distance.

Daisy was gentle. For a 5 year old, I must have felt confident enough to walk up to her, as she lay in the pasture, and pet her between the ears. I remember doing that on occasion.The thing that fascinated me the most was watching her chew her cud-- like she had a wad of bubblegum in her mouth. She could do it for hours. 

Daisy was my friend!  Many times while watching her I would lay my chin in my folded arms on the top of the fence rail. I’d watch the dragonflies and other insects skim across the swampy ditch and listen to the birds sing. The gentle whisper of the summer breeze often times lulled me into a day dream as I let all my senses take in all the pleasantness of the barnyard. Really--the barnyard of all places! It was so peaceful, there in the barn yard… the sights and the smells (which I love to this day)!

Maybe it was because I spent so much time in the barnyard with my animal friends that I recall my first dream so well. And it was vivid!

MY. DREAM.

Daisy was hosting a barnyard party for all her friends, and that included me and my brothers and sisters. Invitations were sent out to all her guests. You can imagine my excitement to be invited to a BARNYARD PARTY! It was a beautiful summer day--just right for a party. All of us kids were sitting on the wood rail fence that divided the back yard from the barnyard.  We were all clappin’, hootin’ and a hollerin’, and singin’, while jamming back and forth to the beat of some very cheerful barnyard music.  Daisy came out of the milk barn… all beautiful with her big brown eyes.  Her fur was splendid—silky golden brown. She was sporting a beautiful buttery yellow flower that complimented her appearance; it was placed behind her left ear.  She wore a small buttery-cream, shimmery sheer, colored apron that went midway to her milk bag, which was ruffled along the bottom and sides.  She was walking gaiety on two hoofs while holding a silver platter of cookies and milk with her other two hoofs.  She walked up to us kids, greeted us ever so cheerfully, and served us the best cookies and warm milk ever!  She was quite the hostess, my friend Daisy!  I thought she was so kind and gracious.  It was the best barnyard party I had ever attended. And, it was the best first dream a child could ever have!

prompt #4: Share the most vivid dream you can remember.

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Quotographay: Love

"Is there no balm in Gilead? (Jeremiah 8:22)... Love is the balm that brings healing to the soul... (The Son), even the Lord Jesus Christ, gave His life that we might have eternal life, so great was His love for His Father and for us." 

(Thomas S. Monson, "A Doorway Called Love," Ensign, Nov. 1987, 66)

Losing my daughter, a year ago, to an act of domestic violence, brought with it much sorrow and grief. But I found, as I gave my sorrow and burden to the Savior and felt His love for me, He truly has helped heal my heart and soul. Yes, I still feel great sorrow on occasion, and it will never go away, but the Lord's Love has given me much needed strength, comfort, hope, and faith to endure. I have joy in knowing that life is eternal, and I have the sweet assurance that I will be with my daughter again! 

When in Rome...

The last time I took a vacation was in Europe. I just got back from a three month stay with the Colonel, who is stationed in Germany. He works four days on, and then has four days off. You can bet when those four days come.. we go exploring like there's no tomorrow!

Keeping the pace we did for three solid months, I can tell you... I was more than ready for a vacation from the vacation!

Taking a vacation is not without its nerve-racking, stress elevating situations. For me, it is the 

TRAFFIC!

First thing when I got to Germany, the Col. made sure I took a driving test so I could drive myself around.... and that mean't on the Autobahn! Are you kidding! But I did as I was ordered. It was the hardest driving test I have ever taken. After one hundred questions and two attempts later, I finally passed the test. Talk about stressful. 

It's a different experience driving the Autobahn. So... I learned real fast, you never, ever drive in the left lane. That's the fast lane. If you do, be prepared at any moment, for a speeding car to instantly show up from no where, ride your bumper, chase you down the freeway at speeds of up to 120 miles per hour or more, until you get out of the lane! But, you can rest assured, Germans follow rules. And, they are very insistent that other drivers follow the rules, too. If you are caught making a right turn on a red light or some other minor traffic infraction, you can be sure they will let you know right away. They madly honk their horn while shaking their finger at you, until they know you understand that you didn't follow the rules!

Italy is a different story. No one follows the rules! Because there are no rules! Driving in Italy is an experience out of the twilight zone. We drove to Italy, starting in Rome, on one of the Colonel's four days off. Yeah... and the statement really is true...

When in Rome... do as the Romans do!

There were no lane indications. The traffic would often get 7 cars wide on, what we would call... a two lane road. There were cars (mini.. even minier than smart cars!), buses, rail cars, taxi's, mo-peds, bicycles, pedestrians .. all vying for the same space. Honking, yelling (Italian flair!), flashing lights, butting in, squeezing in, weaving in and out of traffic, slithering down the middle! You name it, the Italians knew every trick there was to driving. But, it was weird. They seemed to take it all in stride. Just another day on the roads in Rome!

I thought I had seen it all until we got to...

Milano

The Col. was driving and we were trying to get to the center of the city to see some sites. Cobblestone streets and all, we ended up on rail tracks, following a rail car. We... or rather, I, started to panic when I saw that the tracks were on both sides of the road, side by side. I thought for sure we were in the wrong place, at the wrong time, when I looked behind me and saw another rail car following us down the road. We were caught in the middle! "Oh no!" I thought for sure we were going to get smashed! But, it wasn't only a minute later that more cars, taxi's, people on mo-peds, people on foot and on bicycles were coming up and down the same road as we. It was crazy, insane! I had never seen anything like it in my life. No lanes, no rhyme or reason to the flow of traffic. Seven vehicles wide on a small two lane cobblestone street, and no indication of a dividing line. I couldn't believe my eyes!

All I could think of was my mother and how glad I was that she really didn't have any idea WHAT she had sent her youngest child (my brother), just 19 years old to... years earlier when he left our home in rural Utah to serve an LDS mission in Milano, Italy! If she only knew!! 

The traffic experience in Europe is something I will always remember... and probably treasure when all is said and done. I will look back on it and have some good laughs as I think about the memories made in another place, a land far away. 

I am very lucky! I have the best of both worlds.Traveling and getting to vacation in other parts of the world, meeting new people, learning new cultures... well, I wouldn't trade it for the world! 

And... when I need a vacation from the vacation, I get to come home. Home... nestled among the trees in the orchard, out in the country. No rail cars, no mo-ped, no buses, no busyness. Just me and the soft sound of a gentle breeze!

Roma

  Milano

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Writing prompt #3: Write a blog post inspired by the word: vacation.

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