The Bees aren't trying to change the world.  They are just doing their job with focus and diligence.  Then, in turn they have a large, far reaching effect on life around them.  I'm going to try and live like the Bee today.  I hope to be able to do what I'm supposed to do with focus and diligence.  Hopefully I will have a positive effect on life around me.

    Evening showers passed through the mountains making the skies dark and cloudy.  For a bit the clouds cleared to allow a glimpse of a colorful and dramatic sunset.  Sometimes in life the dark and cloudy times will reveal the most colorful and beautiful things.  I'm glad I don't always stay inside when it's cloudy and rainy.  If I did I would miss a lot of beautiful things.

    My friend Steve passed this on to me the other day.  I've thought it over and it makes a lot of sense to me.  I'll pass it on to you today.  Thanks Steve!

Law of the Garbage TruckOne day I hopped in a taxi and we took off for the airport. We were driving in the right lane when suddenly a black car jumped out of a parking space right in front of us. My taxi driver slammed on his brakes, skidded, and missed the other car by just inches! The driver of the other car whipped his head around and started yelling at us. My taxi driver just smiled and waved at the guy. And I mean, he was really friendly. So I asked, 'Why did you just do that? This guy almost ruined your car and sent us to the hospital!' This is when my taxi driver taught me what I now call, 'The Law of the Garbage Truck.'

He explained that many people are like garbage trucks. They run around full of garbage, full of frustration, full of anger, and full of disappointment. As their garbage piles up, they need a place to dump it and sometimes they'll dump it on you. Don't take it personally.

Just smile, wave, wish them well, and move on. Don't take their garbage and spread it to other people at work, at home, or on the streets.

The bottom line is that successful people do not let garbage trucks take over their day.  Life's too short to wake up in the morning with regrets, so ... Love the people who treat you right. Pray for the ones who don't. Life is ten percent what you make it and ninety percent how you take it!  Have a blessed, garbage-free day!

    The Rhododendron and Mountain Laurel have been beautiful this year but Summer brings on the end to the beautiful blooms.  I sometimes wish that they would be at peak bloom for ever.  But that's unrealistic.  Everything has to go through it's cycle.  Sometimes in a dormant state, sometimes growing and sometimes blooming.
    I'm often like that with people.  I can have an unrealistic expectation for people to continually be at a peak state of being.  I want them to be their most kind and beautiful all the time.  It's a selfish expectation.  We people go through cycles in life just like everything else.  We are sometimes blooming and beautiful, sometimes dormant but most always growing.

    What a Blessing Family is!  I just got back to the Smokies from the Family reunion in Virginia.  I am very grateful to have such a wonderful family.  It seems that there is no better asset in my life than my Family.  I hope that you are able to enjoy spending time with your Family. 

    As much as I enjoyed spending time with the Family in Virginia I am glad to be back home in the Smokies.  Here in the higher elevations the temperatures are cool and the visitors are friendly.  Today is a day to appreciate the blessings of Family and Home.

   There are still many gorgeous blooms in the higher elevations of the Smokies.  The frequent afternoon showers keep color on the foliage and in the sky.  The beautiful scenes seem to make up for the hot and humid weather. 

    I'm on my way to a family reunion tomorrow and I will be away from the website for a few days.  I'm very grateful for family and I'm looking forward to the time I will be able to spend with the ones I love.  See you in a few days!

    It's a beautiful time in the Smokies.  The Spring Rains have encouraged an abundance of new growth.  When the afternoon showers pop up it seems like you can see the plants drink down the rain.  It inspires me to grow and change a little too.  I will never grow and change at the rate that the foliage in the Smokies does but just a little growth and change would be good.

    What a fantastic spring we have enjoyed here in the Smokies.   We have had a lot of clouds and rain but plenty of sunshine and beautiful views as well.  This spring has been beautiful and balanced.  There is nothing that I have found that will lift my spirits like time out in the Smoky Mountains.  I hope you can get out and let your spirit soar.

    We had an awesome opportunity to give back a little this past weekend.  There were about a hundred of us that  gave our time and energy to work on the Appalachian Trail.  We got a lot of work done and had a great time.

    Kevin Price Of Blue Smoke coffee was among the great sponsors at Trails Day.  Thanks Kevin, always great to see you.  And thanks to all the sponsors this past weekend.

    I'll be volunteering for Trails Day this weekend to give back a little to the Appalachian Trail in the Smokies.  I hope you are able to get out and enjoy the beauty of the Smokies this weekend.  Take in the Rhodendron Blooms if you can, they won't be around much longer.  Have a restful weekend no matter what you do!