Mama's Empty Nest – Redefining life after the fledglings have flown

Refuge from the storm

Posted on January 28, 2026January 26, 2026 by Mama's Empty Nest

Often something visual initiates certain thoughts in the labyrinth of my mind.

I’ve always believed I am more of a visual than audio kind of learner. Show me a picture and my brain uses it to produce ideas, explanations, or even blog posts. Sometimes I can visualize concepts as pictures in my mind.

So, it’s no surprise to me that something I noticed after this past weekend’s snowstorm initiated some impressive thoughts to spark in my mind. Monday morning I pulled on some boots, grabbed my camera, and stepped out our front door onto our porch.

On Sunday when it snowed the entire day and we received a substantial accumulation of fluffy white stuff, the wind blew it around causing it to land on our front porch which is covered by a roof.

The porch floor was swathed in pristine, unmarked snow, at least I thought so until I stepped out onto it. My boots weren’t high enough to protect my feet from filling with snow, so I stayed on the porch.

While I was attempting to capture photos from different angles there, I noticed some tiny tracks in the snow that led to a corner where our garage abuts the porch.

I stepped closer to inspect the wee tracks and decided they definitely were not caused by a cat or dog, not large enough for a rabbit either. And then after showing Papa, it dawned on us they were itty-bitty marks made by a two-legged critter, a bird.

The tracks seemed willy-nilly but then stopped in the corner of our porch protected by wind and the side of our garage, into a spot where the bird also may have felt warmth from our house. That little creature must have been seeking refuge from the snowstorm.

Oh, how I can relate to its quest. In the last six months of 2025, my family endured a series of “storms” – difficulties that threatened to unhinge our feelings of calmness, safety, security, and well-being.

Countless days reduced me to tears, overwhelming grief, and to be honest, downright fear. Oh, how I needed a refuge from those storms. Oh, how they engulfed me and attempted to control and dominate my thoughts.

I needed a haven. I needed a sanctuary. I needed some sheltered place to feel comforted, to find solace and peace. I needed my God. I needed Jesus, my Savior, to sit at my side, hold my hand, and promise me that He’d never leave me or my family. I needed Him to tell me we would persevere with His help and guidance.

And I’m still trusting in that promise because life on this earth isn’t easy. Trying, difficult, and downright scary circumstances threaten to derail us and cause us to despair. But I know when we stand firmly on the Word of God and prayer, it makes us stronger.

That’s when we find our refuge from life’s cold, dark storms because if God cares about a little bird, He surely cares, protects, and loves us.

“Life can give you strength. Strength can come from facing the storms of life, from knowing loss, feeling sadness and heartache, from falling into the depths of grief. You must stand up in the storm. You must face the wind and the cold and the darkness. When the storm blows hard you must stand firm, for it is not trying to knock you down, it is really trying to teach you to be strong.” ~ Joseph M. Marshall III

©mamasemptynest.wordpress.com 2026

Life, snowfall, winter

A winter tale

Posted on January 27, 2026January 27, 2026 by Mama's Empty Nest

It hasn’t happened in almost 16 years.

I live in a northeastern state – Pennsylvania to be exact – and we experience all four seasons of the year, which I love.

I’m a native Pennsylvanian and lived in this state until I married the Papa of this empty nest and then we spent over 20 years living in other parts of the United States. But for the last two decades, we’ve called the Keystone State (Pennsylvania for those of you who don’t know our nickname) our home.

Having grown up here, winter is no stranger to us. I can remember winters with huge snowfalls and frigid temperatures as a youngster. One particular memory stands out in my mind when it snowed so much, my father had to push our kitchen door out by fractions of an inch trying to sweep away the snow with a broom just so we could get out of the house to shovel it away.

And our kitchen door was at the top of several steps from the ground. Safe to say, that snowfall was about two feet deep. Sixteen years ago in February 2010, we experienced a massive snowstorm that dumped over 15 inches of snow at our house.

When Papa attempted to pull our all-wheel drive SUV out of the garage so he could make way to use our lawn and garden tractor equipped with a snowblade to plow the driveway, the car got stuck.

Above is a photo I took of that snow in 2010. We had to shovel snow away from our vehicle to move it any further. It took hours for Papa to clear our long uphill driveway.

Of course, we’ve had snow in winters since then but not like that one…until this weekend. After many days’ warnings from meteorologists that we were in for a doozy of a snowstorm, it finally arrived.

It snowed and it snowed and it snowed for hours and hours and hours beginning Saturday night and all day Sunday. And even as I’m writing this on the Monday morning after the big dump of snow, it’s still flurrying outside. All told, our recent snowfall mirrors what we received 16 years ago. Upon opening our garage door, snow was piled up in a similar fashion, I just failed to get a photo.

It’s hard to accurately measure snowfall at our house because our home sits in a bit of a wind tunnel, so snow blows around a lot, drifting in many spots while seeming low in other areas, on our 2 ¼ acre property. But it’s safe to say it’s well over a foot of snow, closer to at least 15 inches of the fluffy white stuff.

We’re grateful that we could just stay warm and cozy inside our home and watch the snow fall. We’re also thankful that, unlike our fellow Americans down south, we did not lose power. Our snowfall was dry and powdery not wet and heavy nor icy which most likely would have resulted in downed powerlines.

I just spent Sunday (church was cancelled) at home reading my library book, another Philippa Gregory historical fiction novel – Boleyn Traitor – about England’s King Henry VIII’s court (I love her books!), working some crossword puzzles, glancing out at the snow from time to time, and sipping hot tea.

We did experience a couple of surprises during the day while it still snowed. One when our next-door neighbor showed up on his ATV with snow blade attached. We heard him plowing out the top of our driveway where the highway snowplow trucks piled up a couple feet of snow.

And then he cleared out a good portion of our drive down to our house. He’s a perfect example of a good neighbor, always ready to lend a helping hand when needed. Of course, since snow continued, Papa had to plow the driveway once again with our lawn tractor.

The second surprise was when our daughter and granddaughter walked the half mile from their house to ours to sled-ride down our hilly yard. Covered in snow, they had a fun time, and we warmed them up inside with hot chocolate while I threw their wet, snowy, cold outer garments into the clothes dryer.

Who says winter can’t be enjoyable? Yes, it is true a massive snowfall brings us to a standstill. Churches, stores, restaurants, and other businesses close for a time. The roads and streets are impassable and even dangerous for a while.

We are forced to stay put. Stop rushing around. Be still. But I, for one, enjoy the time a snowstorm gives me to just relax, rest, and watch that beautiful blanket of snow cover the ground.

And I am most grateful for those who must still brave the elements to go to work – hospital/medical employees, utility workers, highway safety workers, fire departments, and law enforcement personnel – just to take care of and keep the rest of us safe.

“The snow falls soft and unfathomable, drawing the world down to a whitened hush, forcing us (as few things do) to pause long enough to take stock of everything that we miss in our crazed pursuit to gain everything that we can.” ~ Craig D. Lounsbrough

©mamasemptynest.wordpress.com 2026

Life, photography

Words for Wednesday: picture this

Posted on January 21, 2026January 21, 2026 by Mama's Empty Nest

If you know me or have read any of my blog posts in the last 15 years (and counting), you will know one thing about me for certain. I enjoy taking photographs with my trusty DSLR camera and sometimes I use my cell phone.

Often, I’m just tooling along, minding my own business, perhaps riding as a passenger in our vehicle while Papa (my husband) drives and suddenly a picture presents itself to my wandering eyes.

If we’re traveling on road trips as we are apt to do, I always have my “big” camera with me. But sometimes, if we’re just on our way somewhere, I must pull out the cell phone because I left my camera at home.

Occasionally, I ask Papa to turn around when I spy a potential photo that I want to capture, and he graciously honors my request. He’s a good one, I tell you, a keeper.

But I digress. Other times, if traffic is too heavy or it’s just not conducive for do-overs, I snap a picture from inside the car. Sometimes they turn out nice like the photo above of a beautiful home somewhere here in my native state; sometimes not.

Today I’m sharing just a few random photos I’ve managed to snag while out and about in the last year or so enroute in our vehicle.

I’m not a professional photographer, just an amateur hobbyist. I also don’t lay claim to being any kind of artist whatsoever. I can’t paint (except for changing colors on room walls); I can’t draw or sketch well; I’m not even a very good crafter.

And I don’t use my camera to produce any kind of artwork except for my own enjoyment and to use as enhancements when I craft words (which is my talent, I believe).

I do love photography and admire those talented folks who produce gorgeous pictures for me to enjoy. Maybe you will enjoy these random “drive by photos” I’ve captured. (I almost titled this post “drive-by shootings” but in today’s crazy world, I thought it might freak people out, and isn’t that sad?)

“For me, the camera is a sketch book, an instrument of intuition and spontaneity.” ~ Henri Cartier-Bresson

©mamasemptynest.wordpress.com 2026

photography, road trips, travel

Tuesday Tour: To a T

Posted on January 20, 2026January 15, 2026 by Mama's Empty Nest

You know what suits me to a T? Two things that begin with that letter – travel and tea.

Last spring we managed to combine those two. Tired of winter weather, we two empty nesters planned a March road trip to Florida in search of sunshine and a bit of warmth.

Wacky weather greeted us on our way down south from our home in Pennsylvania, but eventually we thankfully basked in some sunshine. (Posts about that trip can be found in the “missed something?” sidebar, using the drop down menu to click on months June through October 2025.)

One of the places we hoped to visit on the return trip was Charleston, South Carolina because we once planned a spring trip there a couple of years ago but unfortunately needed to cancel that one.

Charleston is a lovely city, and we enjoyed some historical sightseeing to appease Papa which I’ll chronicle in a future Tuesday Tour post. But before we toured the city, we visited the Angel Tree and then another fascinating spot to whet my appetite for one of my favorite beverages – tea – at the Charleston Tea Garden.

Oh, I was in my element! We entered a lovely visitor center/gift shop to purchase our tour tickets. There we were surrounded by all things tea from tea pots to tea towels and everything in between.

A counter of various hot and iced teas awaited sampling. And sampling we did which resulted in purchasing some delightful Carolina Mint tea bags (black tea with spearmint flavor) to take home and savor. And I found a teapot just calling my name – a lighthouse.

We boarded the tea trolley for a guided tour of the tea plantation, which includes hundreds of thousands of Camellia Sinensis tea bushes used to produce both black and green tea on 127 acres. It was quite impressive.

Not only did we view the tea fields but also inspected the tea garden’s greenhouse, learning how tea plants are cultivated. A factory tour explaining the process it takes to make American-grown tea, particularly the American Classic, the first and only tea in the world made completely from tea leaves grown here in the United States, proved interesting as well.

Learning the history of American tea was fascinating for both my history-loving husband and me, the tea lover. In the late 1700s, tea bushes were brought from China and introduced in the US.

However, cultivating tea in South Carolina was not successful until 1888 when a gentleman named Dr. Charles Shepard established the Pinehurst Tea Plantation in Summerville, South Carolina and produced tea there until he died in 1915.

The plantation closed and tea plants grew wild for 45 years after that. But in 1963, the tea plants were transplanted for research onto a Wadmalaw Island farm where potatoes once grew.

Since Wadmalaw Island boasts sandy soil, plenty of rain, and a subtropical climate, it soon became the perfect environment for growing tea bushes. However, 24 years passed while scientists studied tea cultivation until the farm became commercial when a third-generation tea taster trained in London, William Barclay Hall, transformed the farm in 1987.

To keep the tea farm from developers purchasing it, the Bigelow family of Bigelow Tea acquired the farm in 2003, renaming it The Charleston Tea Garden. Over 320 varieties of tea are cultivated there, and nine different flavors are produced at America’s oldest and largest tea farm.

Charleston Tea Garden, located at 6617 Maybank Highway, Wadmalaw Island, SC is open to the public year-round Mondays-Saturdays 10 am-4 pm and Sundays 12-4 pm. To find out more, visit www.Charlestonteagarden.com.

Our visit there definitely transported me to a happy place, especially while sipping a nice cold cup of mint iced tea on a warm, sunny day.

“Come, let us have some tea and continue to talk about happy things.” ~ Chaim Potok

©mamasemptynest.wordpress.com 2026

Life, photography

Turning back time

Posted on January 13, 2026January 12, 2026 by Mama's Empty Nest

Life tells us we can’t go back in time. What’s done is done, relegated to that part of our brain that stores memories. Some aspects of our past we’d rather forget, and we would readily change the results from those if we only could.

But other aspects fall into the nostalgia category – those good times, places, and people we choose not to forget but remember with fondness.

“Nostalgia is the warm feeling of remembering the good times that are gone but never forgotten.” ~ unknown

In November, we two empty nesters embarked on a road trip to celebrate Thanksgiving with extended family in another state – a state we once lived in long ago.

Back in 2024, having not visited there in over 20 years, we took a whirlwind weekend trip to attend my great nephew’s wedding in that state, but we didn’t have the opportunity to re-visit a place we resided in the early years of our marriage.

On our more recent trip, we thoroughly enjoyed spending time for the Thanksgiving holiday with my sister and brother-in-law, our nieces, grand nephews and niece, their spouses, and their little ones. Family time is always special to us, and this one was memorable.

We also allotted time for a day trip from my sister and brother-in-law’s home to the locale where we used to live and hadn’t visited for 40 years. Forty years is a long time. Progress continued, changes happened, yet as we drove around, memories surfaced.

Today’s Tuesday Tour reflects a place we re-visited that evoked many reminiscences – a blast from the past if you will.

The year was 1977. Papa and I were newly married, traveling midway across the country in a used car dragging a small U-Haul trailer behind filled with our worldly goods and a few wedding gifts.

Our destination was Oklahoma where Papa would begin his US Army officer training in field artillery at historic Fort Sill. Why is this Army post historic? It’s currently the only still active fort that was built in the southern plains during Native American uprisings. Major General Philip Sheridan staked that frontier fort out in January 1869.

Fort Sill is designated as a National Historic Landmark and continues to serve as the home of the U.S. Army Field Artillery and Field Artillery School, which my husband attended as a newly-minted second lieutenant.

When we newlyweds arrived, we located a one-bedroom furnished apartment to rent in Lawton, the nearby town. Our apartment back in 1977 was in a complex set in a less populated area of town. And now 48 years later, that apartment complex is gone and the area is built up considerably.

The city has changed and grown since our time living there, yet we easily found our way around by remembering main street names and noticing landmarks that had stood the test of time. After satisfying our curiosity about what Lawton is like now, we proceeded to the nearby Army post where not only Papa worked but we also lived during two separate tours of duty.

Times have certainly been altered; no longer can one just drive onto a military base like we once did through the main gate called the Key Gate. Now Fort Sill is a “closed post” meaning access to the public must be authorized.

Those without valid military IDs must locate a visitor control center where a “Real ID” is needed to procure a visitor’s pass to enter the post for the day. Fortunately, we possessed those, and we attempted to acclimate ourselves to the differences at this place from our past.

As we drove through the officer housing area, where we lived in two different houses, some things remained the same and some very different – for the better I might add.

The houses had obviously been updated – a good thing. And there were playgrounds for children, a community center, and even an outdoor swimming pool. Wow, we exclaimed, we never had any of those amenities as military families all those years ago.

The commissary (military grocery store) and PX (Post Exchange, a retail store for military families) were also completely changed and updated. The chapel where we worshipped God was still as lovely as before.

Many other buildings remained the same, and we were pleased to see historic areas preserved. The unit Papa served in is now defunct, but we were able to locate where it once was housed. At one time, I also worked on post but some changes prevented us from distinguishing the building that housed my employer.

Before leaving, we perused an area where various field artillery equipment is on display. Papa spent considerable time inspecting them while I snapped photos.

On our way out we spied a statue that was new to us. The Field Artilleryman, donated by the US Field Artillery Association Foundation, honors all those who served in that branch of the Army and Papa proudly posed next to it.

That little trip down memory lane was so worth the time. It brought back many memories, mostly good ones, of our early married life, friends we met during our time there, and how our experiences back then prepared us for our future.

“The past is never lost; it’s just waiting for you to visit again in your memories.” ~ unknown

©mamasemptynest.wordpress.com 2026

Life, New Year

We begin once more

Posted on January 6, 2026January 2, 2026 by Mama's Empty Nest

“New year – new chapter, a new verse, or just the same old story? Ultimately, we write it. The choice is ours. ~ Alex Morritt, British author

And so, we begin. Once more. Again.

A pristine year awaits us on the horizon, and I wonder what occurrences will meander down the pike towards us in 2026.

To be perfectly honest, I was not remorseful to see the year 2025 relegated to the past. It proved to be a tumultuous year for my family, one that made us dig deeper into our treasure trove of faith and rely on our trustworthy God repeatedly. And how thankful we are that He upheld us during those times and continues to do so.

Due to unforeseen circumstances, our family Christmas celebration did not transpire the way we expected, but those of us who could gather were grateful for the many ways God carried us through this year now past.

And so, we begin. Again.

I absolutely believe God prepared me for scenarios that would require my full attention and prayers the last month of the year by prompting me to re-share various blog posts I’d written years before for the entire month of December.

In His all-knowing way, He knew I would not have time or inclination to devote to this blog conceiving and producing new Christmas-themed thoughts.

And so, I begin. Again.

After basically taking a month off from writing posts for this empty nest blog of mine, I find myself sitting at our office computer, facing an empty screen just waiting and hoping for words to flow from my heart and mind.

A backlog of travel story fodder patiently waits lined up in a literal folder on the desk while scads of photos from those journeys make themselves available on the desktop computer with a quick click of the mouse.

Much to share for Tuesday Tour posts is attainable at my fingertips if I choose to maintain and follow that path.

Other inspiring ideas and thoughts bounce around willy-nilly like a wayward rubber ball in my mind as well, but I wonder if I can bring them to fruition because I’m a little weary and careworn in all aspects of humanity: physically, mentally, emotionally, and yes, even spiritually.

But I adhere to God’s Holy Word which tells me I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me (Philippians 4:13).

I’m not sure where this new year will take me or where God will lead me, but I know I must begin again.

“Begin again. Begin again. Every year. Every day. Every moment. Begin again.” ~ Shellen Lubin, American playwright

©mamasemptynest.wordpress.com 2026

Life, New Year's Eve

New Year’s Eve thoughts

Posted on December 31, 2025December 31, 2025 by Mama's Empty Nest

This one is an oldie from way back -15 years ago. I wrote it on a quiet New Year’s Eve here in Mama’s Empty Nest.

Not much has changed in those many years. Papa and I are still spending a peaceful evening together at home. No big celebration for us. We may not even make it to midnight to usher in the New Year because sometimes we just can’t stay up that late.

My thoughts about seeing a new year arrive – how can it be 2026? – remain the same as the words I wrote in 2010. Hopefully, I’ll share new posts and photos next week with my usual Tuesday Tour and Words for Wednesday. In the meantime, Happy New Year!

It’s New Year’s Eve. 7:30 p.m. It’s dark and it’s quiet here at my house. In just a few hours, it will be 2011.

On the other side of the world, New Year’s Eve has come and gone. That part of the globe has already begun 2011 – a brand new year.

The words of an old song keep rambling around my mind tonight – “What Are You Doing New Year’s Eve?”

“Maybe it’s much too early in the game
Aah, but I thought I’d ask you just the same
What are you doing New Year’s
New Year’s eve?
Wonder whose arms will hold you good and tight
When it’s exactly twelve o’clock that night
Welcoming in the New Year
New Year’s eve
Maybe I’m crazy to suppose
I’d ever be the one you chose
Out of a thousand invitations
You received
Aah, but in case I stand one little chance
Here comes the jackpot question in advance:
What are you doing New Year’s, New Year’s Eve?”

~Music and lyrics written in 1947 by Frank Loesser

I know who I’m spending New Year’s Eve with, the same person I’ve spent this holiday with for over three decades (now almost five), my husband. We’re spending a peaceful evening at home, just the way we like it. For the younger set in the family, they are celebrating with friends.

It seems to me that so many people worry about having plans for New Year’s Eve. But I think we should focus more on what plans we have for the entire new year which lies ahead, not just this evening. I’m not suggesting making resolutions, which we end up breaking in a few weeks or months.

Instead I wonder what will those of us who are believers in Christ do to further His kingdom in the coming year? How will we reach out to those who don’t know Him as their Savior and Lord of their lives? What shall we do to encourage those who are hurting and alone?

We’ve got an entire year ahead of us, God willing, to put some plans into practice. So my question for myself and you is not “What are you doing New Year’s Eve?” but “What are you doing in the new year?”

“We all get the exact same 365 days. The only difference is what we do with them.” ~ Hillary DePiano

©mamasemptynest.wordpress.com 2025

human nature, Life, New Year

A cup of kindness once again

Posted on December 30, 2025December 31, 2025 by Mama's Empty Nest

The older I get the more I think the world is becoming a much crueler place. It seems inconsiderate rude people rule the day especially when I venture out in public. So what would be my wish for this upcoming new year? A cup of kindness.

I truly wish people would stop being so divisive. I wish people from all walks of life would treat each other with consideration, respect, and kindness. I don’t make New Year’s resolutions because it’s way too easy to break them. But I do wish – hope and pray – for a kinder world in which to live.

Several years ago, I wrote this post about taking a cup of kindness. It’s what I’d like to see in 2026. Tomorrow concludes my month of blasts from the past (posts I chose to republish for December from the last 15 years of blogging.)

New Year’s Eve is tomorrow. Another year will soon be upon us and many of us may be singing this line:

We’ll take a cup of kindness yet for auld lang syne.

Christmas has come and gone. The empty nest is emptied out again and things are settled down and quiet once more.

The pine tree adorned with lights and sentimental ornaments looks pretty droopy. Soon all the festive finery that spruced up our home will be taken down, dismantled, boxed up, and secured away again until next year.

But I’m hoping one thing remains. Something that surprised me during the Christmas season.

Good cheer and random acts of kindness.

Let me say right up front that I do not enjoy any kind of shopping once Black Friday descends upon us.

The crowds, the noise, the hard-to-find parking spots, the long lines at the check-out, the crowds….oh wait, I already said that. The crowds. The older I get, the less I can tolerate crowded places. And rude people.

And let’s face it. It just seems to go hand in hand when everyone and his brother and fourteenth cousin twice removed is out there shopping for the perfect Christmas gifts.

This year, I was forced to do some Christmas shopping…well…during the Christmas shopping season because I didn’t complete it as I usually do before Thanksgiving. And I must confess, I dreaded going.

But I put my happy face on, grabbed Papa by the hand fortunately on a week day, and off we went to brave the crowds in the shopping trenches, I mean centers.

Well. I was surprised. I expected crowds, rudeness, and nasty people. I found none of those. The stores were not crammed full of irritable shoppers, which was a plus; matter of fact they weren’t crammed with people at all.

Score one for me.

Then I actually found people to be pleasant and congenial. Shocker, I know!

Score two.

And even kind. Folks held the doors open for one another. A lady checking out ahead of us in one store turned to me, held out a 20% discount coupon, and asked me if I wanted it.

“Are you sure?” I asked incredulously. She nodded yes, so I accepted the coupon and thanked her most kindly and wished her a Merry Christmas.

She responded in kind and said, “Every little bit helps.”

Score three.

So I guess that little slogan I read this past week on my tea bag tag is on to something.

“Kindness is the oil that takes the friction out of life,” that tag proclaimed.

I’ll take that cup of Christmas kindness any time. Let’s hope it lasts all through the coming year.

“I will honor Christmas in my heart and try to keep it all the year.” ~Scrooge in Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol

Christmas Eve

Not just another silent night

Posted on December 24, 2025December 19, 2025 by Mama's Empty Nest

Ten years ago on a silent night. That’s when I wrote this blog post. Our family was blessed with an addition that year, our first grandchild. At only 10 months old, she accompanied us to our church late night candlelight service on Christmas Eve. So many blessings, such an awe-filled night welcoming in a joyous Christmas Day at midnight. It wasn’t just another silent night.