Welcome to JOYFUL REFLECTIONS. Also welcome to APRIL!!!! Spring is AWESOME. Enjoy some beautiful TULIPS from Biltmore!!

Wednesday, May 30, 2018

BLOGGER COMMUNICATION ISSUES

Dear Blog Friends,   I am not sure what is going on with Blogger/Blogspot ---but  I have lost contact with most of you....  First of all,  I don't know about you,  but I use EMAIL as my main communication with Blogs..  I know that I'm an old woman --and that many people don't use email anymore like I still do...  I love it and it is convenient.   AND it is a great way to COMMUNICATE.

As of now,  I have the following issues/problems:
1.  I am getting NO BLOG POST EMAILS from any of the people I follow via email (about 30 of you)... (NOTE:  I am getting emails from Word Press friends, so this is a Blogger.com problem.)   When you publish a post,  I would get the announcement on my email.  I find that it is so easy to get your posts this way --and I can then click and visit those posts through my email....  Simple and convenient!!!   Now I feel as if I have lost TOTAL contact with many of you.

2. I am NOT getting your BLOG COMMENTS via email now either...  I can read the comments ONLY if I go to my blog post.   When I got them on my email ---I could easily respond to you especially if you asked a question.    I also have been keeping your blog comments in folders --so that I know who visits and who I need to visit...  This is just 'my' way of keeping up with friends... Now --this option seems to be gone.

3.  My posts are not automatically going on Google+  now like they are supposed to....   I don't use Google+ much --but do have some followers on there.    They can't get my posts IF the posts are not published on Google+.





I have been on Blogger HELP --and have presented my issues there.  Their answers have not helped at this time... I even had to go back into my settings and re-add my email, etc..  --but still no changes...  I'm not sure who else is having this problem.   I did find one other person who is having the same issues as I am..  BUT---that's it so far.

I know I haven't blogged as much as I used to (since I blogged every day for years)--but I still like to blog about once a week when possible.  AND--even when I couldn't comment on your posts,  it was easy for me to read them.    BUT--now that my communication possibilities have changed,  I truly don't know what to do...

It seems as if my only option is to add all of my email friends back on my Followers List --and then keep up with you through that list on my dashboard.   I do not keep my followers' list on my blog --and don't like doing it that way.  I also don't like Feedly and some of those options...  I felt as if I had the perfect system for me ---which is now GONE.  I am just disgusted that Blogger makes all of these changes without thinking about what it may do to us...  IF it is all about ways we communicate with each other,  why are they taking that away????    Maybe it's truly time for me to hang it all up!!!!!       (Maybe this is just an error from Blogger --and maybe they will fix it...  I'm HOPING!!!) Any suggestions or thoughts????

By the way,  I did publish a neat IRIS BLOG --which some of you had requested that I do... Nobody much as seen it yet... Check it out if you can!!!!   Thanks.

UPDATE:  Finally,  after writing this post,  I got a note from Blogger saying that they are 'tweaking' their email program --and it should be up and running sometime next week.... (We'll just have to wait and see what comes back!!!)

Hugs,

Monday, May 28, 2018

Spring Irises in our Yard 2018

Electric Shock Irises---5-9-18
Happy Memorial Day, my Friends...  I hope you take a little time today to remember those who, through the years,  have died for us --and the freedoms we enjoy today....

Today,  I am finally publishing a post I promised a few weeks ago, showing you our 2018  IRISES which have bloomed in our yard this Spring... Most of our Irises are re-bloomers --so hopefully,  I'll be able to share more when they bloom again in the Fall.

 We have had 17 different varieties to bloom ---but today's post contains 19 photos...  I showed you a couple of our favorites twice.  Sit back,  enjoy a cup of your favorite beverage---and enjoy the photos!!!!!


My Friend Jonathan Iris--- 5/6/18

Unknown Iris (Freebie)-- 5/6/18

Eugenia King Iris--5/6/18

Las Vegas Iris--5/3/18

Honey Glazed Irises 5/3/18



Bountiful Harvest Irises  5/6/18

Lemon Duet Iris ---5/6/18

Autumn Bugler Iris --5/9/18

Iceland Irises---5/14/18



Feedback Iris ---5/9/18



Immortality Iris - 5/9/18

Lemon Reflection Irises --5/10/18

Clarence Iris ---5/11/18

Tennessee Vol Iris ---5/14/18


Another photo of Electric Shock Irises  (SO pretty this year)---5/14/18

Cable Car Irises ---5/14/18

Mother Earth Irises ---5/14/18


One more picture of Bountiful Harvest Iris --5/11/18
Hope you enjoyed seeing our Irises....   It's hard to pick a favorite ---but I do love Bountiful Harvest and Electric Shock right now!!!!!!

Have a wonderful Memorial Day!!!

Hugs,

Tuesday, May 22, 2018

More Family Visits 5/20/18

George, me,  Diana and Mark at our home 
Dear Friends,   We had another marvelous Sunday  (5/20/18) with family.    Son Mark brought his good friend,  Diana,  from Texas to visit for the weekend.   Diana had never been to Tennessee ---so we all loved showing her a corner of 'our world'...  She LOVED it ---and I always find so much JOY when someone comes to visit for the first time and shows so much enthusiasm and appreciation...

Mark and Diana spent all day Saturday and Monday in the beautiful Smoky Mountains.   But on Sunday,   they came to our home for the day!!!!!!   After some chat time and snacks here at home,  we took them to the Cumberland Mountain State Park in our area for dinner...After filling our little tummies BIGTIME,  we took a walk around the lake before heading to Burgess Falls State Park  (near Cookeville, TN)...

Even Mark had never been to Cumberland Mountain State Park NOR to Burgess Falls State Park---so he enjoyed seeing these new-to-him areas not far from our home.   Burgess Falls is a series of waterfalls on the Falling Water River leading down to the BIG one,  Burgess Falls..,  We first enjoyed the Falling Water Cascades;  then it was the Little Falls followed by Middle Falls..   We continued down and finally got to the platform where we could see the BIG ONE,  Burgess Falls.   Burgess Falls is 136 feet high.  The trail on down to the bottom of the falls is closed now--so we just enjoyed that glorious waterfall from the overlook.  The loop trail is about 1.5 miles total.   We had a great day!!!

Here are some pictures from that awesome day!!!!



A Canada Geese Family at Cumberland Mountain State Park



Mark and Diana at Cumberland Mountain State Park



Mom had to get in the picture (Cumberland Mountain State Park)



I had to get a picture of Mark and Diana with the bridge in the background  at Cumberland Mountain State Park.  I think every member of our family has had their picture taken here at one time or another!!!!! The water level was low today --so the pretty reflections which we usually get can barely be seen.



Next we drove down near Cookeville and went to Burgess Falls State Park.  This is the Falling Water Cascades  on the Falling Water River...



Mark and Diana  near the Falling Water Cascades



I kept saying for them to step back ---back---back and that would make a better picture... ha ha ha



George got this great picture of  Diana and Mark along the trail.



This is Little Burgess Falls.  



Mark and Diana had to work really hard to hold that big rock up so that we could pass by on the trail!!!!!!!!   LOTS OF HARD WORK.. NOT!!!!! ha ha ha



Middle Burgess Falls



Look at this amazing tree;   Mark carried the umbrella to keep it from raining... It WORKED..... No Rain all day!



A beautiful RED CARDINAL  joined us on our hike.  Isn't he gorgeous????  Mark and Diana both said that the Cardinal was DEBBIE,  Mark's wife who died last August.  



Finally,  we made it to BURGESS FALLS...  We were all in awe while looking down at that amazing waterfall.



George's PHOTO of Burgess Falls;   Talk about amazing!!!!  Wow.



On more amazing picture George took of BURGESS FALLS!!!!



Diana and Mark at Burgess Falls
I cannot thank Diana enough for being there for Mark after Debbie died.   Diana was the best friend he could ever have during that time.   She is an amazing woman and I am so happy to meet her now.  I see many more trips for her to Tennessee ---since there's just SO much to see.

I have a IRISES post ready for publication --but FAMILY is much more important.... We have more family/friends coming to see us on the 26th and again on the 30th....   AND--we'll be going to NC for a reunion on the 27th....  SO--it's going to be a great upcoming week and more!!!!!

Hugs,