Lesson 614: Can't Be Beat

We are all for fall 

at the Lamp Post.

On a great day,

the scenery can't be beat.

The Huskies are a team that Can't Be Beat!

We honored our fallen soldiers tonight

in a beautiful halftime tribute.

Uncle Sam made an appearance.

We Want YOU to play football in a few years!

Paws up to the Junior High Huskies.

They battled it out in Fairview 

in the coldest and wettest day of the fall

for a win.

Hats off to the other Orange and Black 

for these really awesome portable cut outs.

How clever!

Eloise loves clever.

 After a week of eating cafeteria salads,

Ellen Louise suddenly thinks my cooking Can't Be Beat.

Natalie is always the most happy

when Ellen comes home.

Grandma Can't Be Beat today!

She walked 100 paces through the yard

to tell us she finally won the Moose Club jackpot!

The best dog sitter in the world

deserves a stroke of luck.

We love animals here at the Lamp Post.

I love seeing neighbor Laura's horses.

 Eloise also loves alpacas.

The Alpaca Farm on Williams Road in North East

had an Open House last weekend.

I petted my friends

and made early season requests 

for my Christmas presents.

What are the all looking at?
I'll give you one guess.

I want to buy this one.

It's a blue eyed white one who is deaf.

I'm naming her Helen.

She's probably lucky, too.

Have a great weekend!

Eloise

Lesson 613: My Heart Fell in Love

Good evening, Readers.

Eloise here,

with some weekend reading material

that your heart is bound to fall in love with.

My heart fell in love with dandelions long ago.

In full bloom they are bright,

yellow sunshines

dotting the yard.

 

When they've gone to seed 

is my very favorite.

My heart is always in Harborcreek

during the grape harvest.

Fall decor this year

is simple

pumpkins a-plenty!

Down the road from the Lamp Post

live neighbor Laura and her horses.

These birds catch a ride almost every day

and I happened to have a camera with me!

What are they, Readers?

My heart swelled when I saw this student work display.

Eloise loves a good student work display.

A hard fought game,

win or lose,

always makes my heart fall in love.

Huskie Junior High pups won this week.

An early morning Saturday workout 

gets my heart a-pumping.

Hazel always wants to go with me.

I don't think I really need one of those

 guard dog on duty signs.

This isn't Hazel,

but it looks just like her.

Hazel is about to get a few new hats!

My heart is always with the Huskies.

A big piece of my heart walked down the 50 yard line

at half time.

 Ellen Louise got to crown the new Queen.

Our hearts were shattered this week.

After the wonderful recognition Natalie received

from her Penn State job and Supported Employment,

our dear, sweet Tammy (far right)

passed away unexpectedly.

I can't find quite the right words

to express the loss we feel for this very special woman.

To end this blog on a sweet note,

please watch this video of this little girl

revisiting her feelings about adoption

with her mother.

My heart fell in love.

Did yours?  

Eloise

Lesson 612: Remedy

Eloise was a little disappointed this week.

Not quite the let down of this--

a little deeper than that, actually.

A colleague of mine was a victim of a hater this past week,

and the incident hasn't left my thoughts for long.

I think every hater out there thinks they are one of the good guys.

It's their belief,

idea,

or position

that is the right one.

And everyone else in the world is wrong.

It's hard not to hate back.

Very hard.

Maya's right.

Hate does not solve anything.

I was brought back to one of my favorite scenes 

from my favorite show of all time,

LOST.

If you are a fan,

you'll recall this exchange 

between Jacob and the Man in Black.

Is there more hate in the world?
Are we really more divided than ever?

Eloise challenges these commonly stated things.

I think hate has maintained its consistency through time.

I do think love is more powerful than hate.

I also believe there is more love in the world than hate--

love is quieter and more patient,

hate is stronger and louder--

so maybe it seems like there is more of it.

What do you think, Hazel?

She's a pitbull and understands hate and prejudices.

So what's the remedy to all of this?

Different for everyone, 

I guess.

A little dose of the great outdoors

helps me out.

So do farm animals.

I almost signed it all away

and left my life to be a shepherd.

Seems like a nice,

quiet,

peaceful life.

But my family keeps me grounded.

If I was with my sheep,

who would settle the arguments of which one is the better golfer?

Here's a remedy for you if you experience a tough time,

and feel like washing your hands of the world--

Remedy from my fave Zac Brown.

Enjoy the weekend, Readers.

Don't let hate get the best of you.

Only assignment for the weekend:

If you catch yourself using or thinking

 the word "hate"

and make a tally mark every time.

I think the number will surprise you.

Eloise