The Story of My Life

“Disturb us, Lord, when we are too well pleased with ourselves, 
 when our dreams have come true because we have dreamed too little, 
 when we arrive safely because we sailed too close to the shore. 
 Disturb us, Lord, when with the abundance of things we possess, we have lost our thirst for the waters of life, 
having fallen in love with life, we have ceased to dream of eternity, 
and in our efforts to build a new earth, 
 we have allowed our vision of the new heaven to dim. 
 Disturb us, Lord, to dare more boldly, to venture on wider seas, 
where storms will show your mastery, 
where losing sight of land, we shall find the stars. 
We ask you to push back the horizon of our hopes, 
and to push us into the future in strength, courage, hope, and love. 
This we ask in the name of our Captain, who is Jesus Christ. ” ―  Francis Drake Sir Francis Drake, Vice Admiral, (c. 1540 – 1595) was an English privateer, navigator, slaver, and politician of the Elizabethan...

The Road Not Taken Two roads diverged in a yellow wood, And sorry I could not travel both And be one traveler, long I stood And looked down one as far as I could To where it bent in the undergrowth; Then took the other, as just as fair, And having perhaps the better claim, Because it was grassy and wanted wear; Though as for that the passing there Had worn them really about the same, And both that morning equally lay In leaves no step had trodden black. Oh, I kept the first for another day! Yet knowing how way leads on to way, I doubted if I should ever come back. I shall be telling this with a sigh Somewhere ages and ages hence: Two roads diverged in a wood, and I— I took the one less traveled by, And that has made all the difference. As I helped my son this week as he memorized this, one of  my favorite poems, I had to giggle a little at his left brained, literal, 14 year old boy interpretation! ...

Rocket Engines from Saturn V. Marshall Space Flight Center

Cloudland Canyon Hiking Trails:  Amazing what hidden gems one can find deep in the woods.  I mean deep. 1220 Steps coming back out of the canyon!  But so worth it.  DeSoto Falls Park on a beautiful Sunday Morning. High Falls Park:  DeKalb County Alabama; My beautiful home of North Alabama is amazing!  I am actually from Marshall county but used to go to all these spots as a child! DeSoto Falls Park All available in many sizes and formats. Charnita Kirby Anything But Gray Studios Helena, AL charnita@charter.net

Cade's Cove at Sunset Cade's Cove Church at Sunset Prints and Postcards available Yes, I am partial to the name and the place, Cade. We drove the scenic loop at sunset and it was so beautiful. Adding these to my travel gallery!

Photos By/Copyright Charnita Kirby/Anything But Gray Designs

I changed this wall up in the breakfast nook. We collect coffee mugs from where we travel. I hung a shelf, added a perfect saying..... And a COOL poster from our trip to Telluride. And I posted a picture of this wall I did previously. I am about ready to change out the prints, but just today added some new artwork. I painted and crackled some wood-- and mounted some of my favorite prints from our St. Kitts trip. I LOVE them! Trying to make the house a display of my work and our lives! I just have too many pictures.