Secret... Gardens.

Above... is dried Lily of The Valley.

<3

Wrote about it, in the post below.

It's Beautiful, to me...

Especially, in the Winter, when Snow is Flyin'.

; )

Welcome... Spring.

We've went from 14 degrees, to nearly 80 degrees, in less than a week.

; )

March Madness!!

Simply...

'Iowa'.

; )

<3

Today

 is

 The First Day

 of

Spring!!

Things are gonna start getting Mighty Crazy, in the weeks to come.

Many changes... coming to The Rabbit Hole, this Spring, Summer... and Fall.

oh...boy.

; )

It's gonna be a process, but... a Good Process.

; )

I've already warned The Boys.

; )

The Lily of The Valley, will be up... soon.

<3

It grows freely around the house, and Rabbit Hole.

<3

It's scent is Intoxicating.

<3

I usually gather enough to fill a few small vases in the house. 

They actually dry, quite beautifully in the little vases.

Very... Dainty.

<3

Around Christmastime... seems I'm always drawn to the little dried 

Lily of The Valley

bouquets.

<3

'Promise'

of

'Spring'.

 The Lilacs, will be budding soon, as well.

<3

We have several... old, old... varieties near the house.

They probably were planted here, in the 1950's.

Peg, and I... started a couple of their little babies near The Rabbit Hole, many years ago.

They... are Quite Large, now... and Such a Blessing when they're in Bloom!!

; )

Haven't planted Morning Glory, for several years, around The Rabbit Hole.

Out of all of the Flora, Morning Glories are my Favorites.

<3

Stunningly Beautiful...

<3

Their vines, are wild... and unruly.

 <3

Used to Love... taking early morning walks to The Rabbit Hole, just... as The Morning Glories were beginning to

'Smile'.

{well... they always made me 'smile'. : )}

Have some seeds, that I bought a while back... hoping, are still good.

I'll get them soaking, before long...

 hopefully, they'll come to

 'Life'.

<3

'Wake Up'.

; )

We've got Much... work to get caught up on, this year.

'One Day... at a Time'

; )

'Spring'

is such a 

Wonderful Time.

New... Life.

New...

Beginnings.

Love to Ya...

Prayers for All.

Barb C.

Love the Darling image, above.

Dear... Minnesota, Pal...

Rhonda, posted it.

Had to Share.

<3

{We're working on The Cedar Rapids, Iowa... Estate Sale, it will be held in Mid April.

Stay Tuned!!}

; )

We're Still... in The Game.

 

"Most Folks are as happy as they make up their minds to be." Abe Lincoln

Been doing much 'soul-searching', 

for so incredibly long.

'Life'... down the rabbit hole, over the last many years have been filled with nothing but 

uncertainty.

Constant...

Shifting...

Sand.

While processing, over the last many months, especially...

over the last several weeks,

was kind of reminded, 

little by little...

"isn't 'this' exactly what you wanted?"

???

"Adventures"

: )

Oh Boy!!!

; )

I... Got 'em... Boy!!

; )

Many, many... many, 

'Adventures'.

{yes... 'the book' is coming.}

Hahahahahaha!!!

Posting a few of my favorite quotes, below.

<3

The above... reminded me of Dad, the first time I read it, long ago.

<3

Watched Dad... 'play' the 'hands' he was 'dealt', while growing up...

No matter how ugly, 

Dad, always 'played' his 'hands' with a Smile,

 and

with

 Mischievous...

 Irish 'Twinkles' in his eyes.

: )

I... have struggled with being so 'light hearted'.

Tend to take things, 'hands' very... seriously.

Often wish... I could be as 'Easy Goin' ' as Dad was.

<3

{many think I am, hahahahahaha!!! 

They didn't know...

'Marion Conner'.}

; )

Ultimately...

the above, in my opinion, is one of

 The Best Pieces

 of

 Advice, one could ever receive.

<3

; )

The above... quote, hangs on the fridge.

Has... for decades.

<3

: )

It's Beyond... True.

The above...

well, 

if....

I ever decide to get a

 Tattoo...

; )

<3

<3 <3 <3 

Found the above...

long ago.

Ran across it, again... today.

<3

Exactly... what I, and... I'm guessing, many...

need to read, today.

; )

One day... at a time.

One...

moment, at a time.

: )

Many changes are coming... 

for me, and... many.

All we can do, is...

'Play the hand we're dealt, like it's the hand we wanted.'

; )

Love to Ya...

Prayers for All.

Barb C.

"Most folks are as happy as they make up their minds to be."

Abe Lincoln

<3

Today...

I'm making my mind up to be 'Happy'.

; )

perhaps...

be...

 a little more

'Marion Conner'...

and a little less,

 his

 'Daughter'.

; )

Look Out!!

: )

Hahahahahaha!!!!

{Don't say I didn't Warn Ya!!}

; )

Indeed. ; )

Indeed.

; )

 

Diggin'.

: )

{fact}

It's been much Fun... looking back at the posts Folk's are looking at, here...

on

Blogger.

: )

 The above, along with many, many... old posts, 

popped up today, as they have for a long time.

<3

I can see, which 'posts' Folk's are reading, daily.

<3

Believe it or, not...

this, old... 

'Simply Iowa' blog, has been 'seen', to date...

by close to three million.

Guessin' some, maybe... many... might be bots.

: )

I'm no computer guru, as we All know.

; )

Who Knows???

: )

Yesterday... 

the below...

popped up.

<3

It brought me to my knees.

<3

I can't Find... The Words, to Thank... So Many, over So Many Years...

for 

'Carrying' me.

<3

Today...

is

Granddaughter, Scarlett Belle's 15th. Birthday.

<3 <3 <3 

Priceless.

<3

Love to Ya...

Prayers, for All.

Barb C.

{Cleaned up this post... at about 4 a.m, Thursday morn. 

Gotta 'shift gears'. 

; )

Sometimes it's difficult to find the good in each day, but... 

it's worth diggin' for.

; )

It's There, it's there.}

; )

<3

Happy St. Patrick's Day!!

<3

Let the Shenanigans Commence...

Wishing All...

a

Happy St. Patrick's Day!!

<3

Being Irish...

St. Patrick's Day has meant much to us Conners. 

; )

The Good News... 

if Ya wear a pinch of Green, on St. Patrick's Day, 

no matter where Ya come from, You're 'Irish' on

St. Patrick's Day!!

; )

{if Ya don't... You'll just get a 'pinch'.}

: )

St. Patrick's Day... has been Especially Special, to us Conners, as Sister,

Jo Ann, and Son, Justin...

Celebrate 

St. Patrick's Day...

Birthdays.

<3

Called, Justin... this morning to Wish him a 

Happy Birthday.

<3

Told him... the St. Patrick's Day, in 1985....

he decided to come into the world, 

was nothing like this

St. Patrick's Day.

{4 degrees, post Blizzard}

St. Patrick's Day...

1985, was 

BEAUTIFUL!!

The Sun was Shining, 

70 degrees...

John, and I.. were taking in that Beautiful Sunday, toolin' around in the Trans Am, 

with the windows 

Down!!

until...

Justin decided he'd like to join us.

; )

<3

Seems like Yesterday.

<3

Hope All reading this, 

Enjoys This St. Patrick's Day...

and 

The Day is Filled 

With

Many, Many...

Shenanigans.

; )

<3

Love to Ya...

Prayers for All.

Barb C.

At the end of the day.

At the end of the day...

well, there's so many roads untraveled.

Love to Ya...

Prayers for All.

Barb C.

Happy Birthday... Dad.

 

Happy Heavenly Birthday...

Dad.

{Marion Conner Sr.}

<3

There's not a single day... that goes by, I don't think of Dad, 

a

 Dozen Times, or more.

<3

Can't begin to Imagine... what my life would've been like, if

Marion Conner wasn't my Dad.

; )

Dad took me with him... everywhere he could.

{from the time I was an infant.}

Junkin'... Scrappin'... Farm Auctions, Horse Sales, Junk Yards...

Lord, Lord... we'd get into some tight spots.

; )

but...

with every 'tight spot'...

I watched Dad figure out a way... to get us out of 'em.

Dad... had Much Determination.

Never saw a Mountain, he couldn't somehow...

Move, if he wanted it moved.

; )

I've watched other Men, look at the 'Mountains', and walk away.

"Can't be done... Marion."

: )

They... didn't know Dad.

I... did.

{better than anyone on the planet.}

Dad... would never get discouraged, he'd just keep on workin' until...

the 

'Mountain'

was moved.

Loved bouncin' down the Iowa back-roads with Dad, in those old Trucks.

; )

The Stories... he'd share.

Oh... dear.

<3

I could listen to the same story, over and over...

and...

over, again...

yet,

Hang on Every Word!!

<3

Dad would get to laughing so hard, with some of 'em...

he could barely Speak!!

Hahahahahaha!!!

Dad's eyes would Sparkle, 'Twinkle'... while sharing some of the

 'Best Stories'.

; )

{an 'Irish' thing. ; ) }

To say Dad... lived a 'Colorful Life', would be a 

Huge...

Understatement.

<3

Most... probably wouldn't believe some the 

'Shenanigans' he got himself into.

: )

I can Vouch, for Many of Them.

I... was right there, beside him, when 'Many' Unfolded.

; )

You'd never want to 'Dare' Dad, 

unless...

you were prepared to see it get 

Done.

; )

Dad... was a Lucky Man.

<3

He... lived life, 'His Way'.

<3

Free Spirit.

Easy Goin'.

 Kind...

 almost, to a fault.

{if that's possible}

: )

Dad... never met a 'Stranger'.

<3

He was a Great Man.

A Great...

'Dad'.

{that makes me 

'The Lucky One', too.}

<3

Love to Ya...

Prayers for All.

Barb C.