Review This Reviews!

Friday, October 3, 2014

Halloween Crafts

Little Pumpkin Held by Fleece Ghost Below

Halloween is the perfect month to get creative!

Halloween crafts can range from really cute to down right scary. There is definitely plenty of room to play when crafting for Halloween.

Some kits and crafts featured here today are easy enough for children to make. Some were created with the elderly in mind, but all of these Halloween crafts are designed to be a lot of fun to make and display for Halloween.

I feel certain there is a Halloween craft here for a crafter of any age.

Halloween Crafts for Kids

Halloween Perler Bead Kits

Perler Bead kits are designed for children to make a fast and fun craft. They do require a parents supervision so this is a great Halloween project for a parent and child to make together.

There truly are a variety of Halloween Perler Bead kits available. You will find my instructions for how to make Halloween Perler Bead kits, as well as a selection of kits in my article, Halloween Perler Bead Kits. If you haven't worked with Perler Beads before, you will be surprised at how easy it is to make an awesome design.

Here are a few more great Halloween craft projects for anyone published by a fellow contributor, The Savvy Age!

Cute Halloween Walnut Shell Crafts For Kids - Instructions On "The Savvy Age" Easy Halloween Craft: Googly Eye Bats - Instructions On "The Savvy Age" Halloween Mason Jar Craft – Googly Eye Vase - Instructions On "The Savvy Age"

Halloween Crafts for the Elderly

Photo by mbgphoto

Mbgphoto has been kind enough to share some easy craft ideas in her article Halloween Crafts for the Elderly.

With several years of volunteer experience to rely on, she offers her favorite suggestions for crafts that are easy for the elderly to make.

Intricate patterns or small piece projects are often too tedious for an elderly patient, but they still love to create and craft. It really is imperative to select craft projects and kits that are appropriate for their limitations. You will want these projects to be fun for them, not taxing or upsetting because the selected craft emphasizes their reduced skills.

Many of Mary Beth's (mbgphoto) Halloween crafts would also be fun for children.

Halloween Crafts for the Crafter

How to Make a Halloween Ghost with Fleece

A great project for any age, or even skill level, is to make a Halloween Ghost with Fleece.

This is also a great family project. While a parent would need to handle the glue gun, a child could easily cover the Styrofoam with the fleece and also design the face of the ghost.

This article is an actually step by step tutorial for How to Make a Halloween Ghost with Fleece. It also includes plenty of pictures of the creation process.

Here are a few more crafty ideas for Halloween offered on Review This Reviews or by a fellow contributor, Jade, on her website.

Cheesecloth Ghosts and Spooky Shirts on Handmade by Jade Make Halloween Ornaments With Easy Craft Kits Reviewed on ReviewThisReviews.com Cute Candy Corn Cans on
Handmade by Jade

Halloween Beaded Cross Stitch Kits

How to Make a Halloween Beaded Cross Stitch Pin

My personal favorite Halloween craft has to be the beaded cross stitch ghost pin. I made this little ghost pin several years ago as a special Halloween treat for my favorite trick-or-treater.

This particular project is easy for someone with cross stitch experience and it is a great introduction to adding beads to your cross stitch projects. It would also be an excellent cross stitch beginner project simply because of it's smaller size.

Click the image or link to find a step by step tutorial for How to Make a Halloween Beaded Cross Stitch Pin.

The tutorial features the ghost pin, but the basic instructions would be applicable to any beaded cross stitch pin kit.

Share Your Halloween Crafts

DIY Creepy Candelabra by Mandee

We are always searching for great Halloween crafts and I invite you to share the link for your published online article for your favorite Halloween craft. Please leave your link in the guestbook below.

Happy Halloween!

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN), Esty (Awin), and/or Zazzle Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

FOLLOW US ON:

Wednesday, October 1, 2014

Discount Halloween Costumes

Cowgirl Poster, carpidiem, Zazzle.com

Simple, Inexpensive Halloween Costumes

What is the best Halloween costume? Well I hate waste so to me the best costume is one that can be worn again for other things, or at least some of the parts can be worn again. And I really don't like the ones at the big box stores because they fall apart so quickly and really look cheap too. (But they aren't really cheap if you look at the prices for what you are getting.)

So my kids and myself always make costumes from stuff we already have and just buy masks and cute Halloween bags.

No Sew Cowgirl Costume

This year I moved to Texas so the clothing I see when I walk around town is quite different than the clothing I was seeing in California where I lived for many years. This state is very proud of its Western/Cowboy heritage and people still revel in all things cowboy and horse related, including their clothing.

So it was an easy choice for me to make a no sew cowgirl costume this year for Halloween, as I can buy all the parts locally and more important, I can wear all the clothes after Halloween is long gone, especially the boots. I love boots! Long skirts, boots, vests, scarves, all can be worn again in different styles of clothing, so your costume will not be a money waster. And bonus, if you don't sew, you can make it without sewing.

No Sew Ballerina Costume

Now if cowboys and cowgirls are not your thing, you can still make a Halloween costume that you will be able to wear again and not waste all that money. Some great choices include, a ballerina costume for a dancer, or even a "Cats" dancer. I did that one when the play was popular, and got to wear the tights and the bathing suit afterward for years. Even if you or your child are not a ballerina, the tights and leotards are reusable for other outfits.

No Sew Cheerleader Costume

A cheerleader costume is also one that can be worn again. A gymnast can use that cute outfit, and so can a skater. And your child can pretend to be a cheerleader any time, and get exercise in a fun way.

Use Pajamas for a No Sew Halloween Costume

Of course if your little one is under the age of 10, you can also use pajamas as the base of your costume and then you will definitely get wear from them. That's my best hint in the money saving department. I discovered this when my son wanted to be Luke Skywalker for Halloween. I made him a costume from a pajama pattern and he wore that thing for 5 years straight, I kid you not. I had to wash it while he was at school so he could put it on the minute he got home. As he grew I let out the hems of the pants, so it lasted for those 5 years. Now that was a budget costume!

So if you want to save money on Halloween costumes, make a costume that will be reusable. Just say no to wasteful big box flimsy ones! Use your imagination instead. Happy Halloween!

Ballerina and Cheerleader Photos are courtesy of Amazon.com

FOLLOW US ON:

Monday, September 29, 2014

A Day of Paying Attention

“It is quite possible that an animal has spoken to me and that I didn't catch the remark because I wasn't paying attention.” ― E.B White, Charlotte's Web

Last week, on Review This! I wrote about the Shawan Downs Legacy Chase annual benefit steeplechase in Maryland. I love going to watch the horses race around the course, jumping over a variety of fences. It is an amazing, good time.

I made it a point to go again this year. The weather Saturday was perfect. Following days of cold and rain, Saturday was a sunny, clear-skied day in the 70's.

Moving from one spot, to the next, finally settling on the deserted back fence. I sat in the long grass along the very old fence. Between races I admire the lichen on some of the ancient wooden rails. Then I realized, despite my best efforts to find privacy, I was not alone.

Dancing spiders

There were spiders moving and dancing along these flat old hardwood boards. I wasn't sure if they were marking their territories or trying to mate. Perhaps they were warning me to leave. Every few inches there was one of these thumbnail sized spiders. They slowly moved along, back and forth, lifting their hind ends high then dropping them, like hydraulics on a car in a parade. Up and down, up and down, while moving back and forth.

At first I nearly squealed. I'm not extremely afraid of spiders, but I do hate walking into webs when I hike and I'm afraid of the ones that jump. Initially, I thought these would jump. They looked aggressive. I thought they would move up and down, up and down, side to side, then jump on me. But they never jumped.

As I watched, mesmerized, I began to notice the webs spitting out of the spider's caboose. I could see it with my naked eye, spurt, shooting off into the wind, iridescent in the sun. I couldn't believe what I was seeing.

Look closely, see the web?

I watched and tried to photograph the dances and web spurting, being very careful not to rest my elbows on the top board again in lieu of a tripod. I was vaguely aware of people walking by, probably wondering what in the world the crazy lady was doing. Why bursts of shutter clicking while no horses were running?

But I remained focused on the spiders. And their dances. Amazed at how relatively thick and how long the webs were. String after string, like invisible kites being guided by the spider's hiney. Not forming a cobweb, but streamers of spider string blowing to the sky.

The spiders had begun to look less ominous. In fact, I began to think of one of my very favorite books of all time. Charlotte's Web. What a great story. And something was scratching away at the back of my brain. I knew I had read a fun review about Charlotte's Web. Now just who wrote that thing, I asked myself over and over.

Charlotte's Web

I returned home and found it, the reviewer of Charlotte's Web was Mary Beth's granddaughter. That explains why the review stuck in my head. Do you want to read a cute and insightful review from the perspective of a little girl? I am five times Rachel's age of 10 but I still love Charlotte. Isn't it amazing how a good story can stick with us for our entire life?

And that was how I spent my Saturday at Shawan Downs, watching horses fly and spiders dance.

Written by Dawn Rae
Images of spiders by Dawn Rae

Disclosure: In affiliation with AllPosters.com, Dawn Rae is a blogger and content writer who may earn compensation from the sale of AllPosters products.

FOLLOW US ON:

Sunday, September 28, 2014

A Country Song About Angels Quietly Lifting Us During Troubled Times

It's Sunday today. The day I post here on the 'Review It' blog. Since times aren't easy for many who are struggling right now, a country song about the guiding hand of angels seemed like an ideal selection for today. We can't erase all the problems out there, but the healing message of a song can help us find a tiny spark to light our candle with.

"Oh I believe there are, angels among us, Sent down to us, from somewhere up above, They come to you and me, in our darkest hours, To show us how to live, To teach us how to give, To guide us with the light of love" Angels Among Us, by Alabama

Do you believe in Angels? Have you ever had what you believed to be an encounter with an Angel? Perhaps you were saved from a situation that you shouldn't have survived?

I've had my own odd happenings for sure. One such time was a lady who gently bumped into me in a mall like I knew her...I had been going through a rough patch. While picking something up for my son, I had been quietly praying to myself for guidance and had asked for a sign that my prayers were heard...that's when she brushed by me ever so gently, and the next thing you know, I turned to see her, and she's walking away from me and just fades away into the distance. I have no idea where this mall-visiting angel disappeared, but it was enough for me to call my best friend and tell her the story. The known or unknown gift was delivered; I felt calmer afterward.

A Beautiful Angel Spirit Guide Statue - Via Amazon

Another encounter I had was during a prayer in Church; I asked for a sign to help me know the answer to my question. Then, all of a sudden, out of the blue, right in the middle of the service, this lady comes over and kneels beside me. I glanced at her and smiled; she smiled back. She stayed momentarily, prayed beside me, then got up and left. Again, I have yet to find out where she went, and I've never seen her again. Whatever that moment was, I've never forgotten it. It lives inside me as a gift, a small gift that no matter what, there's always hope.

In a complex, sometimes unfair world, faith keeps us going: faith in ourselves and each other. As cliche as it sounds, we are all part of the same light. Whether your belief is in science or a higher power, it's still energy; it's light. If you're struggling, I hope you find the light today and are gifted with an inner knowingness that you'll get through it. I'll be sure to look for it today as well.

I hope you enjoy Angels Among Us by Alabama - A beautiful song.

FOLLOW US ON:

Friday, September 26, 2014

Halloween Outdoor Decorations

I love walking around our neighborhood looking at all of the Halloween outdoor decorations. They range from beautiful autumn pumpkin and flower displays to the haunted house downright eerie decorations. Of course, I love them all!

Halloween is such a fun holiday to celebrate. It thrills me to see my neighbors and friends enjoying the occasion. It isn't even October yet and already my neighbors have started decorating. Right now, they seem to be limiting their decorations to the autumn harvest displays, but I know very soon I will start seeing the witches and goblins come out.

Join Us for A Virtual Tour of a Neighborhood Decorated for Halloween

I have noticed that I am not the only Review This Reviews contributor who loves touring the neighborhood and looking at all of the decorations. Mary Beth shared her own Tour of Outdoor Halloween Decorations with us through her beautiful photography. I know you will all enjoy talking that virtual tour of Mary Beth's neighborhood.

Decorate Your Own Yard for Halloween

We don't just stop at looking at others decorations, we decorate our own front yard! We set up our inflatable outdoor decorations first. After our inflatable ghosts and pumpkins are in place, we add Halloween lights to our bushes.
Several of our neighbors decorate with ghosts, witches and cauldrons. Looking down our street, the combination of different themes really makes for a wonderful collection of "haunted homes". I truly believe it adds fun for the children as they trick or treat, but it also gives the adults a way to enjoy their walks as well.

8 Foot Dead Tree with Owl, Ghost and PumpkinsCheck Price Set of 3 Lighted Glowing Black Witches Witch Coven Outdoor Halloween Prop Decoration Halloween DisplayCheck Price Fun Express Halloween Ghost Yard Stake with Light Up Flashing Lights - Outdoor Haunted House DecorationsCheck Price

Share Your Halloween Decorations With Us Here on Review This!

I've given you a look at some of my favorite Halloween outdoor decorations and I would love to hear about your favorites. Even better, I would love to see them!

If you have published an article online featuring your Halloween outdoor decorations, I welcome you to join the fun here by adding your articles link in our guestbook below for all of us to sit back and enjoy your review.

FOLLOW US ON:

Thursday, September 25, 2014

Tips for Fall Photography

This week I'd like to share with you some of my tips on fall photography.

Use a Polarizing Filter

If you have never used a polarizing filter on your camera you will be amazed by the results. Think about how fall colors look to you when you put on your sunglasses. The tint in the glasses filters out some of the suns rays and what you see are strikingly more brilliant colors. The same concept is what happens when you put a polarizing filter on your camera.

Be sure to buy one of the circular polarizing filters so that you can adjust the amount of light you are filtering out. I have one for my SLR camera and I also have a polarizing filter to fit my Canon point and shoot camera.

The photo at the left is a tree in a nearby park that I photographed with the polarizing filter on my camera.

Go to a Botanical Gardens If you have a favorite garden in your hometown be sure to visit it in the fall. Most gardens have special displays for the fall and it is a great place to take photos. I love the Missouri Botanical Garden in St. Louis. Here is a hubpage I wrote on the garden in the fall. Autumn at Missouri Botanical Garden The photo below shows a scene from last fall at the garden.

A Farmers Market is a Great Place for Fall Photos I like to stop by my local farmers market and photograph the produce in the fall. The bins of apples, pumpkins and ghourds always make great photographs and many of the markets have special fall displays.

Don't forget to include children doing fall activities in your photos. The pictures below are my granddaughters enjoying the pumpkins in the fall.

Get in close for some interesting photos. Leaves are often hard to photograph in the fall because when you look at them up close you find they have a lot of wear and tear from the year, Be sure to look for some that are not too beat up and then zoom in close.

My top tip for fall photography is enjoy yourself. Have fun with your camera, enjoy the scenery and relax and you will capture some outstanding shots!

View more of my photographs of fall at Autumn Art

FOLLOW US ON:

Wednesday, September 24, 2014

Recycle It Right and Keep Trash Out of Our Oceans

recycling decoder for recycling codes used

Make Every Day a Coastal Cleanup Day

Every year in September, communities around the world band together to pick up trash. They're not just picking up trash for the sake of picking up trash. They're picking up trash to keep our oceans clean and safe for marine animals. And, they're cleaning up the environment for a better future for all humanity.

For the past 29 years, the Ocean Conservancy has hosted the International Coastal Cleanup. And what a success it is. In 2013, over 648,000 volunteers in 92 countries collected over 12 million pounds of garbage by walking 12,459 miles of shorelines and searching 455 miles of water. The numbers aren't in for 2014 just yet.

What kind of garbage did they find?

At the top of the list are cigarette butts, food wrappers from potato chips and candy bars, plastic beverage bottles, plastic bottle caps, and straws.

Stuff that people use every day. Items that would be so easy to toss in a waste receptacle or in a recycle bin. Things that could be eliminated from our environment.

I went on a search for ways to reduce and reuse some of the common garbage items found floating in our oceans and littering our coastlines. Junk food wrappers, plastic bottles, and bottle caps can be the inspiration for a craft project. And, disposable items are easily swapped out with sustainable and reusable goods.

Need some ideas?

Halloween is almost here and the perfect opportunity to rummage through the recycle bin for some scary decorations. Make a Mad Hatter Mini Top Hat with an old plastic cup and a damaged CD.

Plastic straws are so uncool. If you want to be the coolest kid on the block, get a set of Plastic Free Glass Drinking Straws for you and your friends.

Bottled water may be one of the biggest plastic garbage producers that our oceans see. Instead of buying bottled water, bottle your own and carry a Reusable Water Bottle.

Confused about recycling?

The first step to keeping waste out of our oceans is to practice recycling the right way. Every community has different recycling programs, but there are some basic recycling rules that everyone follows. Print out this Recycling Decoder from the Ocean Conservancy. Post it on your refrigerator. Fold it up and keep it in your wallet or purse. Keep it handy for when you need it.

Want to get involved?

Start by Learning the Basics of Marine Debris. The Marine Debris program sponsored by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration is a wealth of educational resources. You'll find information on the types of waste found in our oceans, where it comes from, its impact on wildlife, how it affects the world economy, and solutions to this worldwide problem.

Then, organize a cleanup day in your neighborhood.
I hope you'll join us in keeping our world Clean and Beautiful.

Posted by Coletta Teske

About This Contributor

Coletta Teske writes reviews on books, business management, writing, crafting, cooking, and gardening. She is also an avid recycler and shares her tips on recycling. She delights in upcycling an old object, recycling or transforming discarded items into a new treasure.

FOLLOW US ON:

Tuesday, September 23, 2014

Completely Chocolate and Coffee

gift basket full of ghirardelli chocolate

For those of you who don't know, I am passionate about chocolate. In fact, I'm also the chocoholic contributor here on Review This. So it makes perfect sense that I would review a site devoted just to chocolate.

Completely Chocolate Site

Since we can never have too much chocolate, well in my view anyway, Completely Chocolate is an ideal way to share this passion. Of course, we can be talking about just the confection itself. But, there's plenty more. (www.completely-chocolate.com/)

If you didn't know, there are great health benefits to dark chocolate. Which is covered for all of us to read and learn more. How dark chocolate works to our benefit, some of those numerous benefits, even how much we should be eating. All pulled together on one page. I like that.

Health Benefits of Dark Chocolate: www.healthline.com/nutrition/7-health-benefits-dark-chocolate

How about a chocolate party? That's covered, too. Don't forget recipes. There just aren't enough ways to use chocolate in desserts. What about putting together your own recipe book? Just for chocolate treats and desserts, of course. That's included as well. Completely Chocolate is just that, completely chocolate!

What Goes Better with Chocolate than Coffee?

There is even a site devoted just to coffee. Now, we are talking about my favorite combination. Koffee Kingdom goes deep into the world of everything coffee. And I do mean everything. From roasting beans and how that affects flavor to the perfect Halloween coffee mugs. You can even find coffee themed home decor.

Coffee and chocolate.

My perfect kitchen is loaded with both chocolate decor and now coffee decor. And, yes, my favorite coffee flavor is chocolate.

So grab a cup of your favorite coffee, add a dash of chocolate and browse around these sites. You might just find the answer to that nagging question - what are the Review This Chocolate Contributor's favorite places on the Web? And we all want the answer to that!

Posted by: BuckHawk

About This Contributor

BuckHawk decribes herself as "Basically a lazy person who prefers the easy things in life." So that's what she writes about. Easy home decorating, easy recipes, easy entertaining. But, she is also a lover of animals, gardening and crafting. You'll find her writing all over the Web, but with Review This Reviews! she has the opportunity to write about all of her loves.

FOLLOW US ON:

Monday, September 22, 2014

Horsin' Around in Historic Maryland Horse Country

As a young, horse-crazy girl growing up in the midwest, I loved horses and everything about them. I spent my days riding and many of my nights watching the stars, reclined on their bare backs while they munched their hay. Don't tell anyone, but there were times that I sat in the barn to do my homework. Somehow, math was slightly more palatable if I did it near the horses.

Horses Looking Over Fence at Alfred Vanderbilt's Farm by Jerry Cooke

At one point, I had a wonderful black and white pinto pony. He was my best friend for as long as we owned him. One day, he and I were meandering down a lonely dirt road. A herd of deer were just off the edge of the road. Somehow we had managed to walk right up to them, too close for their comfort, so they picked up their good-bye flag tails and waved as they slowly bounded off into the woods.

My pony's ears perked and he stepped toward them. To this day, I can't tell you who wanted to go more, but I gave him his head and clucked with my tongue. Off he went, following those deer through the woods. There wasn't thick undergrowth, thank goodness, as he sped through the woods trying to join those deer. I hung on, crouched low and clinging to his bare bare back, one hand wrapped in his thick mane. I only concentrated at not letting myself get scraped off by a tree. At one point, he jumped a very large downed tree trunk. We moved as one being and I felt as though we were flying. Clearly, the deer were long gone and we would never catch up. But for a moment, we were running, jumping, and flying along. From that moment on, I had a great appreciation for the machine that is horse and how amazing it is that they can jump like they do.

From my livingroom, I would watch the Olympic equestrian events when they were televised and I would watch the triple crown races. All of those things seems so fantastical. Clearly, horses also existed in other parts of the world, but my world consisted of my backyard ponies. Racehorses, horses and hounds, and hooved Olympic athletes seemed like fairy tales.

Somewhere along the way, I realized that horses are more than back yard companions to little girls. As an adult living in the mid-Atlantic, I can enjoy the deep history of horses in Maryland.

Just a handful of the big-ticket horse attractions are:

Assateague Island and the wild ponies that live there
One-third of the triple crown is held here -The Preakness
The Horses and Hounds Scenic Byways
Historic horse farms

In addition to those things, there are many opportunities to witness horse shows, expos, and events here. A few years ago, I got to see a jumping event with Olympic riders participating. That was quite a thrill. But so far, my very favorite horse related event has been the Shawan Downs Legacy Chase.

There is a 300 acre piece of farm land near Hunt Valley, Maryland, that was purchased by the Land Preservation Trust to preserve the non-residential use of the land. Since that purchase, it has been "Re-branded as Shawan Downs, the property has grown into a first-class equestrian center and steeplechase course."

Man Riding Horse in a Steeplechase by Eric Horan

The Shawan Downs Legacy Chase is a steeplechase event, to benefit GBMC Healthcare. This year, it is being held on Saturday, September 27th. I attended a few years ago and hope to return this year. Picnicking and spending the day on the rolling, green grounds is reason enough to go. Watching these amazing horses over fences at full speed is thrilling. The flying hooves, churning up clods of ground, flying over the obstacles as though they have wings is something I'll never forget. Between races there is plenty to see. The year I attended, there were groups of spectators in period attire as well as some antique cars. I truly felt as though I had been transported to decades prior.

If you hope to attend horse events in Maryland, or if you are in the area on Saturday, I highly recommend that you attend this benefit event. The Shawan Downs Legacy Chase is not something you would soon forget. Bring a comfy blanket, your camera, and a good bottle of wine.

Written by Dawn Rae

Disclosure: In affiliation with AllPosters.com, Dawn Rae is a blogger and content writer who may earn compensation from the sale of AllPosters products.

FOLLOW US ON:

Sunday, September 21, 2014

Dirt, by Florida Georgia Line - The Best Song in Country Music!

Dirt by Florida Georgia Line on Amazon

I may be the biggest fan of this riveting country song by Florida Georgia Line called 'Dirt'. Well, maybe not the biggest, because as I predicted, the song hit number 1 in both Canada and the US on the Hot Country Billboard Charts. No surprise; right now I'm calling it the best overall country song in the history of country music. Now how's that for being a big fan!

What makes this song unbeatable is the artistic amalgamation of every contributing aspect needed to achieve a winning country song; the video, music, lyrics, and most of all the story. However it's the video that will take you into the depth of it's meaning to show you the message.

I'm such a huge fan of the story and lyrics, that I also penned another personal review here about it, as well as featured it numerous times on the Country Music Fan Review Facebook Page: Can you tell I'm a fan yet?

I'm sure my neighbors hear me blast it on my TV when it's on CMT's Top 20!

The Story of 'Dirt' by Florida Georgia Line

The song begins with an elderly man and his family about to say their goodbyes to their wife/mother/grandmother at her grave on their property, the same property they all built a beautiful life on. The video floats between their youth and the gut wrenching goodbye.

The Impact of the Song on Those Who are Older

Both my husband and I have shed tears watching this video. The younger generation may not feel the impact of this song as much as we do, but at our stage in life, the song is very real. The first time I played it for my husband, I turned around to look at him, and he had a tear rolling down his face. Having recently lost my father, the lyric '..you know you came from it, and one day you'll return it...' hits hard.

Originally the band didn't want to include the above line in the song as they felt it was cliche, but in my opinion it's the line that ties together the entire story of 'Dirt'.

Another head turning lyric is 'Makes you wanna a build a 10 percent down, white picket fence house on this Dirt' - The first time I heard the song I was walking into my bedroom; the TV was tuned to the country music channel, and while sitting at my desk I hear this lyric, turn my head and am completely drawn into the story from beginning to end.

The story of the life of this couple is symbolically delivered through the well written lyrics and music by Rodney Clawson and Chris Tompkins:

"It’s that elm shade, red rust clay you grew up on
That plowed-up ground that your dad damned his luck on
That post-game party field you circle up on
And when it rains you get stuck on
Drift a cloud back behind county roads that you run up
The mud on her jeans that she peeled off and hung up
Her blue-eyed summertime smile looks so good that it hurts
Makes you wanna build a ten percent down white picket fence house on this dirt"

Another reason I find myself drawn to the song is watching the young duo from Florida Georgia Line, Brian Kelley and Tyler Hubbard play their guitars in the video. They remind me of my second son, especially with the Tattoos on the arm, who's also in a band and plays guitar. Watching these young men sing a song that represents the story of an elderly man and his lifetime with his family moves me tremendously; I remember being 21 years old, and just starting out with my husband like it was yesterday, and in a blink our boys are grown young men.

Life colors itself very differently when you're older. Our greatest joy is hugging our boys, no matter how tall they get. And like this elderly man, reflecting upon what's been built, the love of each other and family, is what, in the end, matters most.