There is a distinct beauty in the way clouds float over the sun drenched prairies that makes my heart beat a little faster...

And when I see old farm houses. I want to know who the previous occupants were. Many of the houses I see are over 100 years old. And, I long to know the secrets their walls must hold.



Who were the people who use to lived there? What were their lives like? What were the things that brought them joy? What were their sorrows?

I wonder if they made ice cream on hot Summer days, and did their children chase fireflies on moonlit nights? Or where their lives filled with the harshness of poverty. With secret tales of abuse stained on floors and walls. All of these thoughts run through my mind when I see these houses .



These are the Cypress trees that surround lakes and ponds in my area of the country.

They whisper ancient tales of the Indians who lived here before us. The Kaskaskia, the Kickapoo, the Sac and Fox, and the Illini.

Sometimes they weep for them...so do i.




The little sailboats that reside at the lake seem to call my name...

To be on the water in Summer would be a dream come true.. John and I never got to do that.

Maybe someday I will heed the calling.
~Nita~

Tonight's song, Why by Annie Lennox
1st video, 1st clip
one of my favorites...

A Fairy Story...

I saw a fairy today flying amongst the Hollyhocks.

Her beautiful blond hair was tied up with a blue string. She had a strawberry flower pinned in the back of her hair with a tiny pink bobby pin.

Her pet bee waited patiently in a flower collecting nectar for their supper.


The fairy was collecting the fragrance of the Hollyhocks to spread upon the wind.. She looked over and smiled at me so sweetly. I had seen her before when she had came to collect twine for her tiny house from my Morning Glories that grew on the porch. Her house was in the hollow limb of the 100 year old Maple tree in my back yard.



After she was done collecting the fragrance. I saw her land on the bee, she was using the silver webs from a spiders nest as a harness. She then yelled at the top of her tiny little lungs. Giddy up Marcia, my beautiful bumble bee we have sights to see. But before she left she took silver glitter out of her pocket and spread it on my porch.


I asked her why she would do that.
She smiled at me and said,
"Silver glitter attracts happiness."
And you have never minded that I took twine from your Morning Glories to fix my house.


So if you wake up someday and see silver glitter on your porch, just know that a fairy has come to call.


By Nita Barrow- Zimmerman

Dedicated to all the young at heart...





{I took all of these photos today. Please click on them to enlarge them.}

Today was a hard day for Elizabeth and me. We went to put flowers on John's grave and a terrible storm blew up with lighting and hail.
We decided to wait until tomorrow.

I got John a bouquet of white roses and Elizabeth picked out geraniums for him.

I use to have him make me a list of things he wanted for Father's Day and then I would save money for that day and go shopping to get what he wanted. Some years the list was small, some years larger. One year I saved my bonus from work and just gave it to him to go buy what he wanted. He was like a kid in a candy store.

I also cooked his favorite meal. He loved rhubarb and strawberry pie. I am going to make one tomorrow.

Many times we would drive to his Dad's grave on Father's Day. We didn't always take flowers..He just wanted to be there. To talk to his Dad for a few minutes. He loved to tell us stories about his Dad on the way there and on the way home. I loved listening to him talk.

Some of our best times were going for rides and talking.

John wasn't the perfect Dad. But he really wanted to be the perfect Dad. But in my heart I knew he tried the very best he could. And I tried to be the best Mom that I could be to the best of my ability.

We all have our own baggage to deal with and he had his fair share, just like me.

There was nothing more important to him than spending time with his family. He helped me with Girl Scouts the whole time Elizabeth was in it, and He was my Co-Leader.

He was a leader in a Christian form of Boy Scouts for several years for our boys.

He took them camping in January to earn their Polar Badge. He was always proud of that.
I try to remember the good things about John, not the bad things.

So many times people try to tear others down just because they can. Or they never let you live your past down. John didn't do that to people. Even when they deserved it.

I have thought all day about John, and every single day I ask God to tell John that I love him.

Words can never describe how much I miss him. Or how much our kids miss him. It is something you never get over.

Today, I also remembered how John loved me, and how I loved him. How I will always love him.
John I miss you...

~Nita~

Tonight's song, Everything I own by Bread
1st video, 1st clip

If you can please listen to this.. This describes how I feel about John more than anything in the world.