Cyber hugs and kisses

Dear all: I have had my nose to the grindstone for the first month getting an office that had been let go for 2 years without anyone there, and now had to be brought up to standard for accreditation. I am happy to say that this will not always be the case. I have been able to work very hard with the help of some great staff and get some shape into the office so that it now has some processes in place, some productivity plans and some light at the end of the tunnel. We cannot be totally accredited until March of 2009 due to the restrictions placed on us for not being up to scratch, but by then we will be the shining light. I just wanted you to all know that I have not been totally lazing in the sun and letting you all freeze in Ohio, I really have been working very hard. I will be coming up for the Baptizm and b'day celebration of Elijah and plan to fly in December 4th and leave December 8th. We will have an early Christmas. However, lest you think I have been only working....last week end I did take the Saturday with some sisters from Church, some new friends, and we all went to Siesta Beach, white sands, clear water, and tons of little nick nack shops that I was getting ideas for Chrissy presents. I am so happy about the baby news from both Ariana and Rachel and so happy that Sariah was not hurt in her accident. I think it is a good idea for her to live in Piqua thru the Winter, as Highway 36 is just a menace with ice and drifting snow and she can have all her classes there and be five minutes from school. This will not be the last accident Sassy, but we all have to learn how easy it is to be involved in one. I am at the library once again and they book you in for a half hour's time so I wanted so bad to take this time to let you all know that I love you very much. I miss you terribly. I will probably have T/Giving with Uncle Steve and Auntie Donna and family and there have been lots of invitations for other stuff here so do not worry about me being too lonely. The people at church are not family, but they are the next best thing. We even have an Aussie brother and sister (newly married) who are from Melbourne and will go back to Aussie later with the World Tennis organization.....lucky people....I suggested they get me as a towel carrier or water girl...who knows. I love you all dearly. Thank you for your sweet phone calls, your concern and your love.....I will collect hugs and kisses first weekend in December....see you all then....will write again next week. Don't hold your breath, but I might have pictures too by then. Cyber hugs and kisses from afar for now........much love..........Mum/Dinah

WHAT I HAVE LEARNED FROM GECKOS

Be energetic.
Be friendly.
Always look like you are going somewhere important.
Be interested in people.
Look like you know what they are talking about.
Always wear a smile or look like you are smiling anyway.
Don’t say much, just look bright and intelligent.
Make the wardrobe casual and stay with the basic earth tones.
Watch for larger things coming your way and move out of the way fast.
If you lose your tail,

never mind,

life is just as happy without one.

This is serving me well in my new job. I move fast and with “purpose” and stay out of the “big guys” way. I look like I have it all together and have something secret to smile about and people are drawn to find out what it is that keeps me happy! Nothing special,
I am just following the Gecko’s lead and who doesn’t love a Gecko?
The hospital’s tropical landscape is full of Gecko’s and I love them.

Love and miss you all terribly, but I am cozy warm and making friends……mum…xoxoxo

Come Visit

I have arrived. Your father and I made it down by Saturday at about 10:00 and Uncle Stephen and Auntie Donna and their children came down to help. The Bishop came and another Tongan brother and they worked like slaves in the hot sun to unload everything. I have been having fun since unpacking boxes and finding places to nest it all. I have beds, rooms, and love for anyone who comes my way. I have begun work and will let you all have pictures in a few weeks when I get a little more settled. I give thanks for family every day, my own and the extrended family I have been blessed with. Get out your keyboards or writing material and e-mail me at dismylie@yahoo.com. so that I can give you all my address as I had all of your e-mails at UVMC and am not their anymore.....I love you all dearly and will see you all in December for Elijah's Baptism if not before......your mum...xoxoxoxoxox

The Saga Continues...

Did not leave on 11th as planned. Sharon Yingst my long-time friend who was planning to be travelling with me came down with a strange eye condition which had apparently been building up for several months, but only in hindsight did she realize what was happening. Anyway she lost the sight of her right eye and has peripheral vision only, so she could not drive with me. (I am totally bummed about all this....and not just because I lost the nonrefundable flight, but Sharon losing her sight is terrible). So I called on Kenneth to take me down as he has the ability to take those three days off. The irony is that we will come out of court on the morning of 18th having disolved our marriage of 32 odd years and then we will spend the next three days taking a trip together. (The Lord does have a sense of humor, I know!!!). I will email you all with my new address. The newer car ( a 2006 Chevy Malibu - silver with only 40,000 miles) came through too so we will be pulling that with us. I did break down and get a 26 foot truck since Ken was driving. I was too chicken to do that on my own. I have very mixed feelings about leaving everyone here, but I am excited about this new door that has opened and I hope it all works out to my advantage and to the family's too, since if mamma is happy then all will be happy! It may be some time before this is hooked up again but I will keep you all posted once I am settled. More later...love you all.....mum

Ken aged 5 Ken age 12
























Ken as a senior Grandparents Carl and Edna Ferguson



Your mother aged 4 and 7 months. (Your Granny Smylie probably knit the cardigan) Iam on holiday at the farm where Aunty Chris used to like to go for a walk and "smell the pigs".....love mum

Eleanor Ferguson and Kenneth Talmage Merrill

This is a picture of your Grandpa Kenneth Talmage Merrill when he married Edna Eleanor Ferguson at age 18 when they lived in Holyoke, Colorado. G'pa worked for G/G'pa Ferguson's farm on Wages Route, Holyoke, Colorado. G'ma went to the one room school house that is across the road from our property in Colorado where we lived until the house burnt to the ground in 1979, due to high winds and sparking electric lines. I can see Ariana's face and Danny's dark eyes in this photo.

Zella (Wakefield) Merrill

These pictures are of Zella Wakefield at 2 years of age, used in my header this month, at 11 years of age with the big bow in her hair, and at 16 with her first two boys, John and Douglas on the running board of an old Ford.

Zella Wakefield is the mother of your grandfather, Kenneth Talmage Merrill and the wife of Kenneth Amanuel Merrill. She married him at age 13 and had three children. One morning just short of her 17th birthday she was lighting the fire for breakfast and tried to encourage the fire with kerosene and it blew up on her, causing her night dress to catch fire. Unfortunately she ran and was overcome by fire and smoke and died from her wounds, leaving a 5 week old Kenneth T. and two brothers John and Douglas alone with their father, Kenneth A. Merrill. Kenneth A. later married Grandma Lavern who raised the boys and had Uncle Evert and Aunty Delores (Young) as well. I was given a scanner and am going to scan in a lot of old pictures from our family files for your enjoyment......

Eeny, meeny, minee, mo....

Well I have been in St. Pete's since Tuesday and have been searching for a place to live.
1. I have found a three bedroom apartment that might fit the bill, but ....the place is in a huge complex, like a concrete jungle and no hook up for washer and dryer...use of laundromat on grounds is the expected norm....that gets expensive.
2. Then there is another granny flat (ONE BED - ONE BATH) that is really cheap but it is tomb-like cause everyone is 55 and up.
3. THEN the best place is a town house, twice the price, but oh so beautiful. Near the water, not quite a beach front view but within 5 minutes walk of the marina (about 5 streets) and on down the coast is the beach. This is the one I want, but it is the most in price, so I am weighing up all the options. It is also the closest to downtown and work, so the car and gas would be less than if I took the cheaper one, making the cheaper (3 bedroom one) not really so cheap. I have been looking at houses too, but they are about the same price as the townhouse and would include the yard. Well I have not had much time to visit family because I have had appointments all day with real estate agents, but will call S/Donna tomorrow and touch base. I figure if I get the town house they can all come and celebrate with me....xoxox ...dinah

Car shopping

Well what do you think? Think I would look good in this little red number? I am second hand car shopping so that I will not break down on the way to Florida in my goodie but oldie Chevrolet....These are missionary cars that sell really fast as they only have less than 50 miles on them, but they are good if you can get them. I will let you know...boxes awaiting to be packed...love all ...di

Sister Eacott was my Primary President and we met in her house. Your Grandfather, David Smylie was the Branch President and he is about 40 years of age and I loved to hear him lead the singing. Sister Florence (Flo) Quick would play the organ. Aunt Una Pope and Sister Eacott were the only members in Whyalla when we first moved there. I think Sister Quick played the organ for us long before she was a member. We would meet in Hockey House, a sports club and have to clean it out from the drinking parties the night before prior to holding Sunday School in the morning and then we had Sacrament at night. Christina was called as YW Pres at 16...(reminds me of Nephi!). Great examples of leadership to grow up with,

Well, I got the job and I gave my notice so there is no going back now. I am trying to get the stuff packed and out of here by September 1st or at the very least October 1st. The picture is of Don CeSar Hotel just above the St Petersburg beach on down the coast about half a mile. I did not take this and do not know who the people are but took this off the internet because i lost my camera somewhere in the trip.But we went in here like we owned it and it really is beautiful. I am madly packing and seeing if I can make arrangements for a place to live down there. The stay with Donna and Steve was wonderful and I am looking forward to building on that short visit in the future. More later folks....di

Luxury Plus!!!!!!

This is a picture of the inside of the Hilton, and I must say that my room is really nice and the setting for the hotel is wonderful. I have been dined and not wined in a Colonial English pub where I had curried lamb (very good), Southern Cuisine restaurant where I had fried sweet potatoe chips(deadly good), A Greek restaurant where they did the handkerchief dance) blackened salmon (mmmmmm) and at Y'Bor City (which is a "little Cuba" with lots of little shops and artsy places) I had a very special Cuban bread sandwich with a palm leaf cooked into the top of the loaf.

I don't have pictures of the beach developed yet, but this is where I am staying. The heat will knock you down at about 3:00 in the afternoon but mornings and evenings are great. It rains every day and cools everything off. I felt the interview went well and I think they will make me an offer that I hope I can accept. Of course I had my heart in my mouth, but I know my stuff and at least as far as the registry needs I knew more than they did, so I looked like I really had it all together, when I really only was one step ahead of disaster really. Seeing the ocean again was wonderful, and splashing and tasting the salt was so wonderful. I could not stay as long as I would have liked, but since I was in my host's company I acquiesed to her wishes and we went looking around all the little places in St .Pete's.

Sariah will love this. It is such an artsy place. I have already met an art group I can join.

Well off to see Steve and Donna in the morning. I can't wait!

Oleander and Lantana!!!!!

Oleander, Lantana, Canna Lillies, Bird of Paradise, and cranes in my back yard!
I took a walk around Debbie's neighborhood and was so thrilled to see Oleander growing and Lantana. I remember walking home with Despina Parouskivopolous in Whyalla and trying not to crush the Lantana as we walked by because it gave off such a pungent odor. And Oleander was for your hair if you picked a blossom or two and did not get the sticky sap all over you. These things do not grow in Ohio and we certainly don't have cranes right in our back yard. This crane just stood and watched me and I almost wanted to explain why I was in his territory. And the grass is that old "buffalo grass" that is all spongy like a carpet. It is hot, and I did not walk far, but a dip in the pool when I got back was heaven. Debbie will be home shortly and we will go out to dinner some place and then I will get all my stuff ready to go to the hotel tomorrow and meet with my "new boss" I hope. He will take me out to dinner and then the morning after we will go to the hospital where I will meet all the staff and be under the microscope. This is up to the Lord, I have got myself this far, the rest is up to Him.

Then I spend Saturday and Sunday with Steve and Donna and I am really looking forward to that. If nothing else comes from this trip, I will have had the chance to see the family. I am so excited. What a lovely bonus in my life this is going to be.

Should I part with this, what will I do wtih that?

Well I am sitting here getting ideas.

Debbie's home (an old girlfriend from Dayton in the same line of work as me) is so upscale. Tile, baskets, wood, pool and a white couch! I swam in her pool at midnight last night and loved the idea.

So...

If I make the move to Florida and they want me to work for them in St. Pete'...

what will I bring with me in furniture?

I have some really nice pieces and a lot of junk, but even my junk has great potential in the right setting, but there is just too much of it. For years I have been collecting blue and white china,

you know willow pattern, courier and ives, old english scenes and even some chinese blue pieces. Now you can buy this stuff in any decorating shop, but when I first married this was very hard to come by...(China - where the china blue dye first came from - was in the outs with the world in 1975.)After collecting it for some 32 years I want to keep it, but I think I will have to be

selective. This is hard because there are so many memories attached to the pieces that I feel like I am destroying that memory if I get rid of the piece.

And, what about pottery? (And Andy's bowls)I have Rachel's plate (that I love) and vase that she made in high school and Ben's jar (that I cherish) and all the other "stuff" as well as some really well made pottery pieces. Well I will be looking at places to live in the next few days, and I think I will look at nooks and crannies and be very very selective about what I bring.

And I still love quilts and cannot get rid of those,

they just look so colorful in the wintertime and to cuddle up in front of the TV with....

but how cold does it get in Florida? Still a cotton quilt will freshen up a room even if it is 100 degrees outside.

And then there is cookware?

Who am I going to cook for? An army? The army has disbursed with families of their own, perhaps they have need of five and ten quart pots. Yes, I used to cook like that all the time. Every day! I love to cook, there is such pleasure in adding a little of this and a little of that!

Mainly I like to eat well, so I cook well :) So, I shall just have to have the missionaries over.

Those boys can eat home cooked food like an army and bless their sweet souls I am just the girl to feed them. And I could have parties with new friends from work and Church and feed them too! Better keep the cookware, but perhaps be a little selective in what I keep.

And books?

Oh my goodness! I love to read...what will I do with all the books? Morgan lives too far away to come and share them with him! He took a couple home when he was here so I know we have similar tastes in reading matter. I get this reading gig from my mother. Thank you Mum! Well Friends of the Library can have some of them to raise money for new books. But I have some first edition Jack Higgins, whom I love (and by the way so did Dad). I think he was Dad's favorite author. But I have read all his books that I have about ten times and Maeve Binchy has been read and reread ad infinum.

And so it goes.

So I am sitting here making lists of those things that I must have to live (bed, dresser etc) and some things that I must have for the soul (blue china, quilts, etc) and some things that I just can't part with (Ariana's and Sariah's artwork, etc.) This is going to be a long list and I am going to have to erase items several times.....

What fun!

I love the excitement of a new adventure.

About once a month I used to have Rachel's children come and stay, at least two of them at a time, but because of the wedding and Sariah's graduation and work I was really missing seeing the children and so last week end I had the children (all four) come and stay Friday and Saturday night. Lizzy is the creative child who has all these projects lined up that we are going to accomplish while she is visiting. Bell likes to decide what we are having for breakfast and Eli likes to find stuff on my computer that he can play with

Do I have a Box of Treasures for you!!!!

Because I have it in mind to maybe move if they offer the position to me in Florida, I have been cleaning out all the old stuff that is of no earthly use, but that has been labeled with the famous "I may need that someday".

I have made several trips to Goodwill and donated my treasures to whomever can use it and each time I come back home the piles begin to grow again. I think they multiply when I am not looking. A lot of the stuff are things that people gave me and foolish me said I would take it because I could see a need for that "one of these days". Well at 60 years of age I have finally learnt that one of these days is never going to come and all I am doing is creating a fire hazard so I have been madly sorting and boxing and cleaning.

Friends are no help! They come by to box stuff and say "Why are you throwing that out, you may need that someday!" So they go home with a box of stuff that I gladly let them have because "they may need it someday".

This is only the stuff that I have stashed, this is not the stuff I have to pack and move...that will be a ginormous project in itself. Hopefully the kids will take some of the extra-good stuff to use in their homes, or I may have a garage sale, though that thought sounds like too much work. They may not offer me the job and I may be just left with nice clean cupboards for once in my life. Only the Lord knows what is in store for me. But one of the sisters did come forth and ask to rent my place if I was in that frame of mind. So only He knows what the next step will be and I am glad I am in His hands.

Spring in Ohio

I know it is winter in Aussie right now, but here it is spring and planting time and Mr. and Mrs. Graf have been getting their home in order and trying to find places for all the new stuff and generally having fun setting up house in their lovely little farmhouse about 5 miles north of Greenville.

Derick came over and tilled my garden. They have planted their garden twice. The first time the farmer sprayed his corn and all their garden began to die, so they moved to another spot and put in a garden. Then Ari came over and put in the garden for me. In my patch of garden things just like to grow. I put rabbit manure out for about 5 years and the plants really enjoy the nutrients and if I don't plant it the weeds like the nutrients just as well.

I gave Ariana my canning equipment and she is going to try canning some of her produce later in the summer.

Ahhh ...I can now blog....the adicts joy!!!!

For some reason my internet provider has been on the blink adding some update to our e-mail system, and I am no longer able to read my blogs at work as the hospital has put a ban on "social blogging", so I have felt like an addict, unable to get to my blog sites and see all my family. It has only been a week, but I have been sweating it.

Well Wednesday 17th I saw Sariah off to BYU with her cases, violin and debit card, all set to get a job and begin classes. She called after arriving in Utah where Lilon met her, and though she was "scared for a moment or two" a couple of times at changing flights or at arrival, she reported that she did really well. She was interviewing for a "environmental science" (cleaning) job and thought she had it pretty much in the bag, and her classes had begun, and she was all full of shopping for all the things she needed for her appartment and that Lilon had taken her shopping for them. (That debit card will get good use!!!)

As for me....I am having a quiet home, the first time in my life that there is noone in my home and I can have any channel I want and sleep in any room, on any bed, and talk on the phone all night if I want. I have been helping another sister sew her temple dress so I have not been without something to do.

I also have a possible job offer in Florida. I have been keeping mum about it as I would not like to begin something that does not come to pass, but it looks like this is going to happen or at least I will get a free trip out of it. They are flying me down to Florida (St. Petersburg) at the end of July and I will of course get the opportunity to visit with Donna and Steve and all the wains there, and even if I do not get the job, it will be wonderful to see the family.

I was not planning on getting another job, but the Lord seems to have other plans for me and kept putting this one in my way and so far they seem to want me to come work for them. It is the same job as I do here - manage a cancer registry, (that means collect data on cancer patients and analyse it for trends in cancer diagnosis and treatment, which really does lead to changes in how we approach this disease), which sounds fancier than it really is, but this job would be for a larger registry, a much better paid position AND no snow or ice in the winter!!!!!!

I will keep you all posted as the time comes nearer. Other than that I am saving, saving, saving (as I am totally broke after a wedding and graduation). I am saving for that trip to Ireland in 2009....SO all you original Smylies save your pennies too and lets have a reunion there.................what do you say????? ..............Love ya all...........di

Be careful what you wish for!

Friday, the day of the temple wedding was wonderful. We had sun, so much so that we wished we could have a little less so that we were not squinting in all the photos. Well, be careful what you wish for....

Saturday it blew, it stomed, it rained in sheets, it drowned Nancy and Greg Graf's garden that we were having the reception in, it drowned the road that Ben was trying to reach us on and made it impossible for him to get through that way, it blocked the sun and raged on and on all day so that at 2:00 in the afternoon we panicked and thought to move the reception to the nearest "big chapel" about an hour away, but logistically that would have been impossible. So we moved it to our local "little chapel" With over 70 to 80 guests, it was standing room only and very little room to put your plate down or visit with others, but our friends did not seem to mind, they came one and all. We were calling all over the place, telling them of the move and the brothers and sisters in our little branch came through and helped set up last minute ideas for decorations and tables in the hall and prepare food endlessly and generally step in and take over the whole thing and make it be a real "love fest". Derick was so funny and said no matter what, meaning because we started late, he was leaving at 8:00 because they were going to Mertyl Beach, an east coast beach area, for their honeymoon and he was leaving dead on 8:00, and by golly he did, whooping and hollering all the way out of the parking lot.

Thank goodness for my sisters, both in the branch and my own. I was so thankful to have Sharon there, she truely came through and kept me sane. Her humor and ability to pitch right in was just what I cherish about having a sister. We did not have a lot of time together when Sharon was growing up and I keep hoping to have more time with her to sit or do things with each other, and one of these days we will just do that without weddings or graduations or kids birthdays or whatever, and we will just pick up where we left off and talk and talk and talk. She counselled the kids - Sariah, going off to Brigham Young and Ariana, going off on her honeymoon and she did it with humor and that good old Aussie wink. I did not wish for rain, but how else would we have gotten all those lovely nonmember friends into our chapel...it worked out great! AND I could not have wished for a better sister. Thank you so much Sharon. I love you dearly............di

Presenting Mr. and Mrs Graf

The day could not have been more beautiful. The sun was shining. The grass was green and the couple were so happy as you can see from the smiles. They could not stop smiling the whole time. The princess and her prince in the woods on the Columbus Temple grounds.

This is the japanese sword that Sariah made in welding class. She was teasing Ariana and said she had made it to cut the wedding cake with. She was displaying it here at her graduation party.

We just had an open house after church on Sunday with all the food under a net awning and we all sat around under the trees and had a lovely time just visiting. The Queens came from north of Lima, about 2 hours away. Brad is 18 and he and Sariah were in nursery together when we lived in Celina and attended the Lima ward. and now he is waiting for his mission call. It was great to see them. Some of the people attending were the Justine Yantis family and Julie and Caitlin Yantis came, Jenny Sullivan, Sharon and Charlie and Marilyn, the Lloyds with Molly and Josh, Michael, Ben and Julie, the Daily family and her Dad. Rachel could not make it as Lizzy came down with a high fever that morning and a sore throat.

Ariana's wedding shower

The girl is setting up house in a big way! Rachel put on a shower for Ariana at the beginning of May. She asked everyone to bring a gift that dealt with a certain time of the day or night, and it became really good fun as the gifts were unwrapped. Of course Ariana cannot help but ham up the scene and she did so in a big way with ribbons and bows and other unmentionables. Derick will have his hands full with this girl!!!!

ANZAC BISCUITS AND ALL

This is a picture of Bro. Daily, who is in our Branch Presidency, enjoying the ANZAC biscuits

Earlier this month we had a “round the world” festival at church and I, of course, was asked to do Australia. (No one thinks about me being Irish, they know, but somehow it is Australia that comes to their mind when they have one of these things). Anyway I made Lammingtons, ANZAC biscuits (well Ari made them from my recipe to help me out) and I made little Aussie meat pies, in the shape of pasties as they were easier to handle that way. It was a lot of fun and everyone thought the food was delicious. Ariana said “you have not made these for years” and Sariah came back with “I cannot remember you ever making them”…..that last child syndrome! She has no memories of all sorts of things the others did as kids.

Way to go Ariana.......Congratulations!

Ariana recieved a $500.00 scholarship from Edison College School of Nursing for her acedemic work during the last year which will surely help her during the coming year as she still has one more year to go before she can call herself an RN.

This picure was taken in Chicago during the summer of 2007.

As the spirit speaks...

Derick will go through the Temple on May 17, 2008 for his own endowments prior to the wedding sealing on June 6, 2008. He has waited a long time for this. He is the kindest most generous gentleman I have come to know. He is so kind to Ariana and the rest of her family. He is nonjudgemental and loves the Lord with all his heart and has taken to the gospel of Jesus Christ like a duck to water. Our branch loves him and are all thrilled to have him join Ariana in marriage. Way to go Derick….I am proud of you!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY JULIE AND BEN

Almost a year ago I acquired another daughter. She is the quietest, gentlest and most loving young woman. She and Ben are such an industrious couple. They have their own home in suburbia – Englewood, a small town near Dayton. She is a special ed’ teacher and has the patience of lamb. Ben works in a electronics-age parts business and together they have a busy life being active in the Englewood Ward. Ben has just been called as scout-master. Today is Julies birthday (29) and tomorrow is Ben’s birthday (31).

Aspiring ...

Ariana is working hard at her school work and is taking exams this week. She is really trying for the highest grade she can achieve and thereby have the opportunity of a scholarship. Every little penny helps when you are first married. In the down-times she loves photography and takes every opportunity she gets to use her equipment and "play". She was inspired by her Uncle Andy and his talents and aspires to be "just like him." The wedding is one month away and she and Derick have a little house and lots of furniture to put in it from various family sources and Ari can't wait to set up her own little home.

Senior pictures

Spring is here and the lilacs are blooming (and the dandelions). Sariah is preparing to leave for college and we are trying to cover all the bases with senior pictures and plane tickets and tuition and a wedding too………….so many things to do, so little time to do it in ……..but it keeps us healthy.

Heart stopping!!!

Most kids learned to drive when they are 16 in America and they usually were able to take the driving course as one of their high school classes. However, the year Sariah turned 16, they changed the rules! You had to pay an outside firm to take the classes and you could technically not get your license until you were 18 unless you otherwise took the drivers education classes. Well we live 2 blocks from the school and Sariah had no need of her license and no money for a car or insurance anyway so she delayed until she was 18 to take free lessons in my car and on my gas of course!!! But she is doing very well, though I think my heart will stop one of these trips!!!!

A haircut can do wonders...

Sariah wanted to do something different with her hair for her senior pictures and to mark the right-of-passage as she gets ready to leave for BYU. So she allowed me to take a couple of inches off the bottom the first hour and she wore it that way for a little while. “Okay,” says she, “now take a little more off it and I will see if I like that.” So out came the trusty scissors and off came another few inches until she was satisfied with the results.

I think she is very grown up and very sophisticated with her new “do”.

By Emily Dickenson - whom I love to read...

Hope

Hope is the thing with feathers
That perches in the soul,
And sings the tune--without the words,
And never stops at all,
And sweetest in the gale is heard;
And sore must be the storm
That could abash the little bird
That kept so many warm.
I've heard it in the chilliest land,
And on the strangest sea;
Yet, never, in extremity,
It asked a crumb of me.

The other side of the story.

This is a picture of my very own beginning of daffodil principle and they are blooming.

The other side of the story (from the blog below) is that some years ago there was a huge forest fire around the Bauer home and several thousand acres and homes were lost to the fire. Everyone thought “What a loss….the daffodils are gone!”

Then the next spring there they were poking through the blackened earth and amongst the skeleton blackened forest, acres and acres, all yellow and sunny and bringing cheer to many who had had such a loss during the previous summer.

You can now see Mrs. Bauer's garden as the Daffodil Garden in Running Springs, California, a commercial park that began all those years ago and brings so much pleasure each year.

The Daffodil Principle

Winter was so long this year, lasting into the middle of April and I was so tired of ice and snow that I began longing to be home in Australia by the beach (it was not the family I was longing to see at this time, but the sun.) and longing to see the daffodils which in Ohio herald the end of winter.

Then I heard about the “Daffodil Principle”. In 1958 a lady named Mrs. Bauer who lived in a very ordinary neat little farmhouse in the hills of California, surrounded by forest and farmland, began planting daffodils in her yard “one bulb at a time”. She continued to plant bulbs until 40 years later her daffodil garden covered over five acres of land and people would drive for miles to “see the daffodils bloom” at the beginning of spring.

Amazing what "one bulb at a time" can accomplish.

Prophet's Song

Some of your heritage

Here are the “Smylie Children” …Christina, Dinah, Andrew, Stephen, Shelley, Geraldine and Sharon (David Zajkovic was in Alice Springs), Summer of 2000 in Adelaide, Australia

Hurry, they are coming!!!!

The wedding is fast approaching and we have guests coming from all over the place and they are going to stay at our house. You have to understand, our house is under constant construction. These are pictures of Derick when he and Aria took on the task of our bathroom during last summer. We still only have one bathroom, but at least it will be a nice cleanly plumbed-and-painted one. You can see why Ariana thinks he is a keeper.

We have also been doing up Sariah’s bedroom which has been “early getto” style since Ariana was a teenager and I decided it was about time she had a “real” room (now that she is about to move out!). But Sariah also took this on as part of her YW project for her medallion and it is coming along nicely. Only problem, we could not get the bed up the stairs, the doorway was not wide enough in this old house, so we may have to take out the window to get the bed into her room. Ooooh Derick!!!!!
But plaster and paint and all, we are all getting excited and scared at the same time for the time of the wedding is fast approaching and it will be so nice to visit with all the guests (and get some of these projects finished) :) :)

Sariah rocks!!!!!!

She did it! Sariah was given a full (2) year scholarship to the local college (Edison) where Ariana is going right now. She will have a second year if she keeps her grades up, which she will do I am sure. She will still go to BYU for the summer and if her finances, grades and desires workout she will stay there, but if not she can come home and have her schooling paid for locally. She wants to get out into the world and I cannot blame her, but she also feels that living at home saves some money and with the cost of schooling in the US, the decision to stay locally for the first couple of years has its advantages. Anyway, congratulations my darling, you worked hard for this.