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The Station on Old Highway 13

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The Station On Old Highway 13 July 2008 “Fill ‘er up Joe” echoes in my ears, as I pass by on my bike. I wonder was it really full service back in its glory days? Would “Joe” really have pumped gas, checked the oil, and washed the windows, all while spouting town gossip? Mismatched boards cover the windows of the little white service station on Old Highway 13. There’s a for sale sign in front and a tarp covers what was most likely the garage door. White paint peels from the trim, but you can almost hear the ding of the service bell, as the next customer pulls in. The awning, still supported by two stone pillars, would have kept “Joe” dry, as he serviced your car in the Missouri spring rain. White gravel still paves the circular drive, in spite of the weeds that have begun to push their way through. Highway 13 may have a new route and “Joe” is no longer there to service your car, but the station remains, as a reminder that travelers once passed this way.

Wanderlust

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  wan·der·lust ˈwändərˌləst/ noun a strong desire to travel. Lake Marie - Snowy Range, Wyoming This article  from  She Explores  made me homesick for Wyoming, the state where I spent the first 29 years of my life. I miss the varied landscape, from the mountains to the prairie to the plains to the desert. I miss the clear lakes, streams, and rivers.  I miss the openness of it all.  As I was explaining what I missed about Wyoming, Hubby just smiled. Not because I was mildly homesick, but because he knew exactly what was really causing these feelings. He took the opportunity to point out that I have wanderlust, something I didn't know I had until I met him and we began moving around the country. Well played Hubby...Well played. Aspen Alley - Battle Mountain, Wyoming He is of course spot on the money. I do have wanderlust, and during our time in Alaska, it's only gotten more intense. For the first time in our married lives, we're financially able to enjoy trave...

Planting Hope

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I’ve been spending my time in the Alaska sunshine.  The winter here was long and snowy.  I won’t lie, when the first snow falls in mid-September and it keeps snowing all winter long it gets pretty damn depressing.  Break up began in late March, but as I write this post there are still a few traces of the large pile of snow we pushed up with a loader over the course of the winter.   Our plans of camping and enjoying the great outdoors this summer have been slashed by the great gas price hike that is happening across the nation.  We’re currently paying $5.21 per gallon as I write this.  Not exactly conducive to towing a camper around the state.  So in lieu of grand camping adventures, we planted a large garden. I know there is a lot of fear-mongering, stereotyping, and normalcy bias right now.  In a time of predicted food shortages, soaring gas prices, and inflated cost of living what better way to spend the summer than tending to a beautiful garden...