Olmsted Manor

Today our Circle of Friends formerly Red Hats , visited the Olmstead Manor in nearby Ludlow, Pennsylvania.

Olmsted Manor Retreat Center is in the village of Ludlow, in northwestern Pennsylvania, surrounded by the Allegheny National Forest. The buildings that make up the retreat center include the original Olmsted estate and more recent facilities built to accommodate the needs of our guests.

The grounds of the retreat center consist of 300 total acres, 30 of which are developed land. The Manor House, Groves Lodge, and the Carriage House, are available for guest use, with Hickman Hall serving as a meeting and conference area.

 

This beautiful setting is used as a spiritual retreat and gathering place. We enjoyed a lovely lunch which included a large julienne salad, cinnamon muffins, ham and cheese croissants, homemade peanut butter and crackers, and a mousse dessert. Afterwards we had a tour of the premises. The large Tutor style home was so interesting.

The Manorhouse

The Manor is a Tudor style mansion with accommodations for 12 overnight guests. All of the bedrooms are furnished differently, and the house has an air of faded elegance. A spacious living room with a fireplace and grand piano is the perfect place for friends to join together in laughter and fellowship. The Manor also boasts an elegant dining room and a small kitchen for guests who prefer to prepare and serve their own food. The kitchen is furnished complete with a full-size refrigerator, stove, microwave, dishwasher, and coffee maker. The manorhouse also contains an original two-lane bowling alley on the attic level.

 

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I love FaceTime

 

 

 

 

I can't get to Tennessee very often to see my little grandchildren so I miss out on a lot of things that they do. But thanks to the ipad and FaceTime they can call me up and we can talk face to face. Tonight they were doing a family project...making tie dyed t-shirts. I got to watch and interact with them. It's the next best thing to being there.

 

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How to spend a summer day

How to spend a summer day by Sadie Karrasch

I thought my mommy was sleeping in way too long for. Sunday morning so I got out of bed first. She keeps the door closed so that Top Gun won't come in and wake her but it also interferes with me getting out. So I whine softly and bang the side of the bed with my paws. I know this wakes her up. Yep, there she goes. She lets me out first thing which is a good thing because I thought I heard a chipmunk chirp.

Yep, there had to be one right in the flower bed recently. I could smell it. Delima! Should I dig up the flower bed or not? I know I was scolded for it just a week ago. Hmmm. I think I .......what? I heard another chipmunk over there. Back to this later.

After running around the back yard hunting down squirrels I'm ready for breakfast. She's never at the door when I want to come in. I'll just scratch and scratch till she comes.

I have to guard my dish. I wouldn't want the cat coming over here....

 

Now it's time for my walk. I always save up my poop. I know my mom doesn't enjoy picking up after me but I can't help it.

 

Now back home, crawl in bed with daddy and take a nap.

 

The rest of my day is spent in the usual activities...watching put the window for squirrels, listening for cars going by, or running around the back yard. Or laying in the sun.

By night I start tormenting my mom with the parade of toys. Even when she goes to bed I jump up and throw a tuggy toy at her. She does play with me for a while but she tires quickly.

So I settle down in daddy's lap for the rest of the evening. Tomorrow is another day.

 

 

 

 

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Playing around with apps

This morning I was trying out an app called Moldiv. This app allows you to make collages with the pictures in your camera roll. But they have added something new. Now you can make a layout of your pictures with words like a magazine page. Here are my results.

 

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Summer afternoon

 

“Summer afternoon—summer afternoon; to me those have always been the two most beautiful words in the English language.”

― Henry James

We wait all winter and all cold Spring for these warm summer afternoons. Today was perfect. It was hot but where we live the woods is right behind us. This creates the most wonderful breeze all day long. As I sit on the porch swing the chimes ring gently while the splash from the pond waterfall lulls me to a peaceful continence.

The rain gauge shows how much rain we have had all week. We are grateful for this lovely day.

 

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I always wanted a birch tree

There is something about a birch tree. The way the trunks curve and the branches sway. There were birch trees down by the lamppost when we moved in forty years ago but as all things they went by. Then we planted more and enjoyed them for a while till the insect boarers ruined them.

So when we were thinking about our landscaping I knew that was one tree I had to have. And since I don't have years to wait for one to grow I ordered a large one. And I'm so glad I did. Every time I look out the sunroom window I enjoy it's structure. This year I added some rocks around it to give it the appearance that it has always been there. I love rocks. I'm so glad I had the landscaper put that large rock in front of the lilies. It makes it look like it was always there. The metal orb is a new purchase. You know how I like metal.

Today it is cloudy and looks like it might rain again it's hard to find time to mow the lawn between the raindrops. We had a downspout get plugged and with the huge rainstorm yesterday the side split right out of it so Don is on his way to the store to get a replacement. Always maitenence when you have a house.

 

 

 

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A climbing beauty

The backyard keeps changing as different perennials begin to bloom. As the peonies hang their heads and drop their petals the clematis surrounds the arch with a profusion of purple flowers.

 

J

 

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Decisions

Are you a good decision maker? Or does it take you a while to decide? We are in the process of deciding about a kitchen remodel and there are so many things to decide. Whatever I decide I will have to live with the rest of my life so I want it to be just right. And I am visual so I need to see it. I can't imagine a whole kitchen from a small sample. So that is why we went for an hours drive away to see some sample kitchens. I had made up my mind I liked the grain in cherry wood but there are variations and you can't be guaranteed consistency. So it would be taking a chance because you don't know what you will get. And looking at a kitchen in cherry at the builder' center made me realize that I didn't like those variations. Also cherry will darken over time. So I'm deciding on maple which also has a beautiful grain. If you have any advice I'd appreciate it.

 

 

 

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At Willow Bay

Sadie loves tubing too!

 

We had a great time this afternoon. We are lucky to have the Allegany Reservior about a half an hour from our house. This is the first time we've had the boat out. We pulled up on shore and made a picnic table out of a large rock. The food was simple but delicious. It was so nice to be beside the water. The dogs had fun too. Sadie remembered tubing from two years ago and almost jumped in the tube with Dan.

 

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App happy

I have such fun playing with photo apps.

 

 

 

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Tables are set

Getting all ready for my son and grandson's visit today. I'm all about family and never see them as much as I wish. The boys will be here for boating and fun this weekend. Yippee!

 

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Lessons to learn

Don't you wish you would have learned some lessons sooner in life? Just think of all the pain you could have avoided. All the sleepless nights. All the guilt and regret that you've carried around. I guess we all have to go through a process of living. Some people however seem to understand these truths at a much earlier age. I wish I had. Here are things that I wish I'd known......

This too shall pass. No matter what time will go on and the way you are feeling at the moment will recede.

Everyone needs to live their own life and it doesn't have to be just like yours. I wish I'd learn to cherish individualism sooner.

Don't give unsolicited advice. Don't be the one who thinks you know better.

And the big one.....you can choose not to react blindly over something. You can choose to feel differently and put the bad feelings behind you.

What lessons do you wish you had learned earlier?

 

 

 

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Top Gun

Doesn't Top Gun look relaxed? He looks so much better now. A while ago we discovered that he was diabetic. We had to educate ourselves on the disease and it's been a hard process. We are testing his blood by pricking his ear twice a day and then giving him insulin shots. We can see improvement. Before he was extremely thin and peed gallons a day. He still has an appetite but has gained weight. He has even started hunting again. I'm so happy that he is getting well

 

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