August 10, 2026, PA trip

 

Splendor

 

Made it to Lincoln

What were we thinking

Glad Loren could eat

Seemed like a feat

Played Splendor with Judy

After our drive

She was the winner

Three out of Five

August 9, 2026, PA trip

 

Walkers are for Walking

 

Made it to Molene, Illinois,

but with a big bump.

At a rest stop,

Loren fell on his back

while trying to use his walker

as a wheelchair.

 

Several people stopped

and helped him up.

 

At the hotel,

he threw up five times.

Slept the night.

We didn’t take him to the ER.

 

Should we have?

We’ll see tomorrow.

 

Lord, please heal Loren.

August 8, 2026, PA Trip, Poetic Bloomings, trees

 

Family Quotes About Trees

 

“There must be seven million trees.”

Quote from my five-year old great nephew

from the cornfields of Nebraska.

And several us from the Shannon Reunion

followed the trails in Cook Forest, PA

in awe of the towering eastern white pine,

eastern hemlock, northern red oak,

white oak, black cherry and red maple,

some over three-hundred years old,

some nearly two-hundred feet tall.

I remember when my Wyoming husband

came to see me in PA for the first time.

He said, “All you can see is trees!”

And I said, “That’s what you’re supposed to see.”

What I said of Wyoming?

“It looks like God left it unfinished.”

 

August 7, 2026, PA Trip

 

Old Vacation Stomping Grounds

 

A bunch of us went farther North

To a shop called Hallers

It was a place we remember

When we were little fellers

 

We ate out lunch

Where we ate it the day before

We played some games

And played some more

 

Packed a bit

For tomorrow

Our reunion will end

With a bit of sorrow.

 

We may not see each other

For a year or more

Where next?

I hope somewhere we adore.

August 6, 2026, PA trip

 

Another Fun Day

 

Fun day today

Began with shopping

Hand-made crafts

Kept on hopping

 

Had a picnic lunch

In a forest glen

Hiked a paved path

For Loren then

 

We took Loren back

To the Airbnb

Then Lori and I

Joined the family

 

We hiked through trees

Taller than skyscrapers

We ventured through them

But didn’t end our capers

 

We visited Linda’s family

At her Airbnb

And played a game

That seemed a bit silly

 

Watched a show

And went to bed

Fell asleep

As if dead.

 

Fantasy, Poetic Asides, PA trip

 

8/5/26

 

Woodland Creatures

 

Our Airbnb in Pennsylvania

lies at the edge of a forest

where just about anything

can be hiding.

 

Fairies, aliens, Bigfoot?

Or at least bear, deer and rabbits.

 

My daughter and I

wandered through the woods,

following paths leading nowhere.

 

We saw a rock

with a hole dug at the base

housing some kind of critter.

 

We saw a fence

With a plastic owl

perched on each post.

One owl’s head fell off.

 

I can imagine

a real owl cozying up,

thinking it found its mate

and oh, what a shock!

 

I can relate somewhat

since my husband

had two strokes.

He had a problem

with his head, too.

 

We snapped pictures,

but didn’t see any photo bombs

from fairies, aliens, Bigfoot

or bear, deer and rabbits.

 

But we had a nice walk

while the rest of our reunion family

scattered hither to yon

until their return this evening.

 

 

 

August 4, 2026 PA trip

 

August 4, 2026

Canoeing

 

The ten of us went in canoes

Most of us wore water shoes

I went with Meg

After she begged

I decided the fresh air I could use

 

On a tube, Lori chose to float

And was tied to the end of a boat

She drifted lazily along

Behind two men who were strong

Looks fun, we all took note

 

And then we had a thought

A pasta bar?—Sure why not?

We all got busy

You could get dizzy

And we used many a pot

 

In the kitchen, Becca’s a champ

She learned it all at the camp

For the twenty

There was plenty

From sweat, we were a bit damp

 

And then they all flooded here

Everyone was of good cheer

We ate till content

Until time was spent

It’s great to have family near

 

Aug 3 PA trip

 

August 3, 2026

 

Play Day

 

Today we had a fun day

A time to relax and play

We had a cook out

Calories—look out!

Someday we’ll have to pay

 

We got in the bumper boats

It putts, bumps and floats

We giggled and laughed

And gave them gas

We all became cut throats

 

We raced go carts around the track

I was in the one near the back

All soon zipped around

To speed they were bound

For my slowness I caught some flak

 

And then we stacked up our gifts

The bean auction our spirit lifts

We bid our beans for fun

And got gifts one by one

And then our adventure shifts

 

We practice the swimming sports

I’m glad no one reports

Since my pants were soaked

It seemed like a joke

When I wore Hubby’s swim shorts

 

And then the gift exchange

Some of the gifts may seem strange

But most were quite nice

At such a low price

And they covered a great range

 

Fun was had by one and all

The Shannons have a ball

We don’t know when

We’ll be together again

But we can always text, email and call

 

 

A Treat PA Trip

 August 2, 2026

 

A Treat

 

It rained incessantly

Hubby didn’t go to church with me

But my daughter did

She did so when a kid

The service was done joyfully

 

Fifteen of us went out to lunch

We were quite a chattering bunch

We had burgers and fries

And an icecream cone surprise

It was good all the way to the crunch

 

Then 24 of us got together

Despite the inclement weather

We shared laughter and tears

Down through the years

With love being out tether

 

Five sisters together so sweet

Took pictures before our retreat

We’ll meet the next day

And have much to say

Being together’s quite a treat

 

 

 

 

 

 

Best/Worst Poetic Bloomings PA trip

 

Best/Worst

 

It was the best day of driving so far

To Pennsylvania that’s where we are

Fantastic when flatland gives way

To hills and trees end of day

And so good to get out of the car

 

A beautiful Airbnb

Waited for my family

We unpacked our stuff

Then settled in enough

And were hungry as we could be

 

For a pizza for four, we hasted

We didn’t want any wasted

But in spite of that

Greasy, tasteless and flat

It was the worst pizza I’ve ever tasted

 

But we’re excited to see family

This reunion of our family tree

We’ve come from afar

By plane and by car

It’s the best, just wait and see.

 

July 31 PA trip

 

A Rainy Day

 

Leaving Davenport in the rain

Driving it was a great pain

Then Eli took over

In the back I took cover

And I didn’t drive that day again.

 

A funny thing happened today

As we stopped along the way

To move the car near

For his dad so dear

He ended up on the highway

 

He had to find an exit then

He drove the other way again

So Loren and I sat

Till Eli came back

So now we’ve collected our men

 

In Indiana we saw lots of farmland

Where horses and buggies aren’t banned

They go trotting by

While we’re on the fly

Then it was nice to get out, walk and stand

 

We made it to the Hotel at seven

The Applebee food was like Heaven

Then we relaxed in our room

And slept none to soon

Then I didn’t get up till 8:10.

 

 

 

 

Back Poetic Asides PA trip

 Back in the Car

 

Left Lincoln, right back on track

Though it took us a long time to pack

With a trunk full of stuff

To fit it in was tough

With just enough room in the back

 

Eli, my son, was first at the wheel

To him the city wasn’t a big deal

So I sat calmly in back

And often did snack

Not driving does have its appeal

 

And then I took my shift

And it gave my spirit a lift

To get on down the road

To a brandnew abode

The traffic all day was so swift

 

The room that we came to was nice

I didn’t have to deal out advice

The bed the right height

For hubby at night

And it was all at a great price

 

On Facebook I looked at a post

I saw one that I liked the most

My friend saw a marmot

A cute little varmint

A photo on which she can boast

Back, Poetic Asides, PA trip

 

Back on the Road

 

Woke up in Lincoln at six

Then shopped for bean auction gifts

Then we wrapped up each piece

Picked up great nephew and niece

Between them there were a few rifts

 

But then we had a pizza-party ball

Fifteen relatives in all

We had a delicious feast

From the greatest to the least

Our enjoyment wasn’t small

 

My one-year old niece, a cutie

Holding her was pleasure, not duty

That was worth the drive

She made me feel alive

To life, babies add beauty

 

Our Lincoln visit was brief

But it did add great relief

We’ll be back on the road

With our car overload

God’s with us, that’s my belief

 

 

back blank, Poetic aside

 

Back in Nebraska Again

 

Every time I take a road trip

from Colorado to Pennsylvania,

I think, I’ll never do that again.

But here I am doing it again

with my husband and son

headed to a family reunion.

 

I’m starting to feel like

I’m in Ground Hog Day,

doing the same thing over and over.

When my kids were little,

I’d take this drive every year

to visit grandparents.

 

I always enjoy being with my family.

About half way, here in Nebraska,

 I’ll get to see a new great niece

who won’t make it to the reunion,

so that’s a big plus of driving.

But maybe I’ll talk Hubby

into flying next time.

First Day on the road PA trip

 

July 27, 2026

 

When I think of “clouds”

in a person’s life,

I perceive a negative connotation—

circumstances that are uncertain,

losing a clear direction or path.

 

But the clouds I saw yesterday

through the Rocky Mountain foothills

on the way to East Denver,

were more beautiful than any painting—

layers and layers of beautiful white clouds

in a piercing turquoise blue sky.

 

Lord, I want those kinds of “clouds”

in my life, spiritually speaking.

Those times of prayer, love, joy, peace,

patience, self-control, goodness, kindness,

layer upon layer adding depth and beauty

to my soul and extending to Heaven

and to all of those around me.