Sandee's Ramblins

Getting my Ducks Straight

2012-01-30T08:26:00.000-08:00

(I'm not talking about getting my ducks all in a row, I'm talking about learning the difference between one kind of duck and another.)

We have all sorts of winged friends visiting our little pond. I thought for sure these were wood ducks. I had my trusty camera with me then did some research at this wonderful website: The Cornell Lab of Ornithology

What I was looking at were Hooded Mergansers. Sometimes the "hood" is raised and it makes a very dramatic show. Of course, I thought those were even different types of ducks, not realizing the hood can disappear.

I wish they would eat the bullfrogs, but they like young fish instead.

Scared to Death of a Rock !!!!

2012-01-28T17:44:00.000-08:00

I have no idea why I'm wired the way I am, but little tiny things scare me in a BIG way.

Take for instance a gift my girlfriend, Kim,,left for me.

If you reached for a quilt to snuggle under, this little guy wouldn't scare you, would he?

What if you were vaccuuming and there he was?

Or watering your plants?

Nah, he wouldn't scare you.

Well, I went to feed the horse. (She always greets me with a whinny.)

What a beautiful girl, even at her age.... but I stray from the point I'm trying to make.

I opened the tack room door and reached for some carrots for Dessi when I saw this BIG GREEN FROG!

Yup. I jumped six feet into the air and screamed bloody murder.

My heart was racing like crazy.

I slowly peeked around the door to see this GIANT frog when I focused on him and discovered he was just a big fat glittery rockish frog.

Not only did I get a good laugh, but I knew Kim had left the gift. I called her once I got to work and she got a good laugh from it.

There is another story behind this little guy. Evidently, a young worker had ordered some of these and they sold out. He decided to order more only he made a mistake and ordered 200 more! (I think he wanted 20 more.)

Kim told him not to worry, they would all sell and she bought one to prove it to him! At that point, she didn't hesitate to remind me of the time when we worked together for an inventor. We took snowmobile machine accessories orders and shipped them out all over the country. I was new to the job and I had to order the boxes for shipping. I did have the boss sign the order form (I learned to have him initial EVERYTHING I did.) Then one day, a semi truck arrived FILLED with boxes. Yep, I had ordered a warehouse of boxes.

Oooo la la, the boss was mad. I showed him his signature but the only thing that did, was make me feel better.

Needless to say, I never needed to order another box as long as I worked there!

Isn't life full of fun stories?

Do you have any you want to share? Leave a comment!

Beer Bread

2012-01-27T17:51:00.000-08:00

This beer bread is to die for. It was a gift from my friend, Janice. She and her hubby had taken us to McGlinn's restaurant in Wenatchee where they served this bread. The meal itself was unbelievably delicious then came the bread.... I died and went to heaven. No doubt about it.

I am going to try a recipe I found on-line and see how it measures up to McGlinn's. If it is worth sharing, I'll let you know.

Thanks, Jan!

You Learn Something New ...

2012-01-25T15:00:00.001-08:00

Every Day...

Today I learned what Elk Poop looks like.

I didn't even know elk came through the school grounds, but they most certainly do. A 6-year old boy gave me a "tour" today and explained the difference between elk and deer poop.

....just when I thought I knew it all.

;o)

These Hats Need Cats

2012-01-20T07:04:00.000-08:00

Dr. Seuss's birthday is coming up and our little elementary school celebrates big time. We take part in Read Across America. Adults dress up in Dr. Seuss costumes and wear crazy colored "Cat in the Hat" hats then we read and have a party.

This year, it is highly possible that this precious school, built in 1936, will be closing its doors. It will be the last Dr. Seuss celebration. With that in mind, one aid decided it would be fun to make 120 hats for the kids to wear to the party and take home with them. (Mind you, this wild-and-crazy-woman does NOT sew!)

Of course, that is where I come into the picture. I bought 4 bolts of felt which is 72" wide!! I drew up the cutting pattern for all the fabric and started cutting. I'm not going to cut it all because volunteers are coming out of the woodworks to help with this fun project.

Good to the Very Last Drop

2012-01-17T19:58:00.000-08:00

I received an expresso maker from DnJ for x-mas. Oh my.... little did they know I would love it so much. I discovered cappuccinos in Italy; one of the very few things I liked about the country.

Oh my, they are lovely.

Since we drink only almond milk, I make mine with that and it goes down so smoothly!

Mmmmm lip-smackin' good!

la machine

Nothing but pure coffee and foamy milk. Who knows, maybe some day I shall brave an espresso!

Getting Serious About Europe

2012-01-16T11:42:00.000-08:00

All my notes and list of web "favorites" are starting to come together. We are planning a trip to Europe in September and October of this year. What a mind-boggling experience to plan.

Where to go, what to see, where to stay, how to get from Point A to Point B, rent a car or take the trains, how long to spend in each city or village. Whew! A lot to absorb.

My last adventure to France was six years ago and the planning took me two serious years and reams of paper. I think this won't take as much paper but some major hours of research and of course, not two years!

The big thing is that the money has been put aside for this trip and that Jack is willing to go with me this time around. Evidently he hated my being away from him for so long more than he hates the idea of flying in an airplane!

What do you think; can we cover all of this in 6 weeks?

Places I just have to visit:

* = re-visit and share with Jack

Paris, France*

St. Girons, France

Rocamadour, France

Ventimiglia, Italy*

Nimes, France*

Loire Valley, France*

Verdun, France

Mons, Belgium

Liege, Belgium (American WWII Cemetary)

Soggibottom, UK

Stonehenge, UK

Places Jack must visit:

Toledo, Spain

San Sabastian, Spain

Venice, Italy

Cote d'Azur, France

Verdun, France

London, UK

Prague, Czechoslovakia

Munich, Germany

Venice, Italy

Barcelona, Spain

Seriously, I wouldn't mind spending our entire time in France but Jack wants to see other countries as well. So we'll be on the road a lot which is so much fun in a foreign country. This trip will be very different because we will be renting or leasing a car. Poor Mom got dragged out in the boonies with me where cars were needed but we were forced to walk. When we knocked on the B&B in the Basque Country, our hosts were totally shocked that we did not have a car. I do believe we were the first visitors to arrive on foot! Hey, we were in great shape when we left France, that's for sure.

I am sure we will have to cut some places off of this list, but we shall see.

Hanging Long-Johns in Long-Johns

2012-01-14T13:35:00.000-08:00

Seriously, it has been cold here lately. No rain. No snow. Just cold and some days cold and fog.

I've been doing yard duty in 22° weather. Needless to say, I wear long-johns to work!

Jack wears his every day as well since his shop is not heated. Well, he has a wood burning stove inside but it merely heats up one small area. Mostly, it's for him to thaw out now and then as he is working.

Imagine my joy when the sunshine was pouring into the house today! I figured it would be just the ticket to hang some laundry outside instead of next to the fire.

I had to giggle as I was hanging these to dry because there I was hanging long-johns as I was wearing long-johns. Even if I have to bring them in frozen, they will somewhat dry out. I remember Mom used to hang clothes outside and they would be frozen stiff when she brought them in.

Wordless Wednesday

2012-01-11T18:14:00.000-08:00

Lying Low

2012-01-08T13:54:00.000-08:00

I thought if I did't post anything for awhile, I'd quit doing stupid things. Ummmmm, nope, 'didn't work for me!

Here is my used-to-be-nice KitchenAid toaster.

What happened to melt the top, you ask?

Well, you see, Jack has a habit of putting day-old bread on the top of the toaster and then setting the toaster on to toast. He had some garlic bread he was re-heating in this manner and it had been loaded with butter so I told him not to let the butter melt into the toaster. I suggested he put tin foil over the top first. Dumb. I never dreamed he would wrap the entire top with tinfoil so the heat didn't get out and the toaster melted.

Gross plastic smell in the whole house for hours afterwards.

Just plain stupidity.

Guess we need a toaster oven.

Maybe I Should've Sued Instead of Married

2012-01-05T17:28:00.000-08:00

Back in 1969 when I ran the red light that brought Officer Jack into my life with red lights flashing and his violation ticket book in hand, I was smitten. Unlike the woman in this article: MoneyHungryBroad,

I didn't see dollar signs when he wrote me the ticket, I saw stars. Then I sat by my telephone for 12½ hours before he called me. (I just KNEW he would call!) My response when he asked me out was not, "Talk to my attorney" but rather, "What took you so long?!"

42 years later, he claims that although I may have paid for the ticket;he has been paying ever since. (Cute, but oh so NOT true!)

Why are people so eager to sue one another these days? We don't even have an attorney and I hope we never do.

I'm just thankful that our story turned out to be quite a happy one.

I Left My Brain in 2011

2012-01-04T15:48:00.000-08:00

I swear, today is 1/4/2012 and every single day this year, I have managed to do something incredibly stupid! So, why not share with you, my blogger-type friends?

Yesterday afternoon, I locked my cat, Hook, in the basement bathroom by accident. I was merely shutting him safely away from the raccoons but he slipped into the bathroom when I got his food and fresh water. So he was in there all night long.

(Close your eyes if your stomach is sensitive to grossness.) He has had diarrhea since he got his shot of antibiotics. So the poor guy had no place to go except in the waste basket. It was so lightweight that it tipped over on him. He then must have dragged the bag out of the basket and went on the bag... for the most part.

So this morning, I went to open the cat door for him to go out but I couldn't find him. He meowed until I found him. Meanwhile, I had opened the door to the rec room.....uh huh... carpeted, pool table, etc....

So this afternoon when I went down to lock him in ... I heard him crying from the rec room! Luckily, he did not have any accident. Whew!

The poor cat must hate me by now. I left him for 10 days then got home and took him to the vet to have surgery then locked him in the basement for 24 hours. If he runs away from home, I won't be surprised but I will certainly be sad.

Maybe tomorrow I can screw something else up!

Have a good evening. I'm off to play "Cribbage" with hubby. He has been cleaning my clock lately and I feel it is time for some revenge.

When Does a Good Deed Call in the Sheriff?

2012-01-02T15:55:00.000-08:00

ANSWER: When Sandee is the one doing the good deed, that's when!

I went to the school today to finish a job I was working on in the staff room. I had started peeling off ancient wallpaper borders. I had checked out a security pass card to use to shut off the alarm system after entering the building.

So picture this: I enter the building to find the hallway dark. I saw the red light of the alarm system and pulled out my security card and waved it in front of the red light. Then I went about my business. I unloaded my ladder and supplies and was laying paper out waiting for my BFF, Eileen to arrive and help me with the project.

I thought I heard her car outside so I opened the door to the parking lot only to find the Sheriff standing by his car with his hand on his holster/gun. OMG! I knew I'd done something wrong.

I smiled and walked out to him. He gave me the 3rd-degree (whatever that may be....but I felt like I was sitting in a stark room with a bare lightbulb overhead and sweat rolling down my forehead!)

I gave him my name and told him I worked at the school but was actually retired so officially I was volunteering. He asked if the (ONLY) vehicle in the parking lot was mine and I said yes. He then ran the license and up I came!

I told him to call the principal because he still was not convinced that I belonged there.

He spoke with her and asked if she knew me. She laughed and said yes, I was one of the "good guys"!

He was so serious it was crazy. He scolded her and told her to make sure I had a security pass to get in the next time.

Then Eileen arrived and I discovered that I had swiped the back of my ID card instead of the security pass card! DUH! Both are the same size plastic cards and in the dark, I grabbed the wrong one.

We got some good mileage out of that and were done with the job in no time. I swear, I have no clue what I would EVER do without Eileen in my life. (I do think though that her motive for hanging around me is for comic-relief.)

How NOT To Blow Out Candles

2012-01-01T13:50:00.000-08:00

I had these great candles that I had never used along with a lovely candle holder. We had company for a New Year's dinner last night and I figured it would be the perfect time to light these candles... kinda fancy things up a bit. Nice, huh?

After visiting Kari, I got these ideas for hors d'oeuvres:

Filling Tostitos brand scoops with finely chopped carrots, broccoli and chicken was a hit. Kari used a little mayo in hers with a dill seasoning which has garlic and other herbs in it. I found some in our natural foods section and I used grapeseed mayo. Very easy and tasty.

I got out my fondu pot and made a 4-cheese sauce for crackers or veggies or whatever.

I made what is called "boozy olives" where I soaked green olives in gin then served them. I don't like gin but everyone else who came to dinner does and they enjoyed them.

I found a great recipe for garlic shrimp.

Jack made corn fritters and he made the main dish which was Wild Mushroom and Chicken Stroganoff over pasta. Mmmmm. I made a spinach, feta and cranberry salad.

One friend brought some appetizers as well so we ate a plateful BEFORE the main meal!

What the heck, it was the last dinner in 2011, we can all walk it off in 2012, right? Luckily, the meal was simple and no one became overstuffed.

The other friend made a German Chocolate Pie for dessert. Sounds good, doesn't it? Well, we never got the chance to find out because as she entered the house, she stumbled and dropped the pie which was in a glass pie plate. Smashed to smitherines! Luckily, she was okay.

We were all actually thankful we didn't have dessert or we would have been uncomfortable.

I then made Irish Coffee and someone brought champagne to toast in the New Year.

A fun evening of eating, visiting and playing games with friends. Good times to say the least.

I decided it was time to blow out the candles and I did with gusto. Poof! All out.

This morning I was saying to Jack how nice it was that the candles didn't melt and make a mess. He walked over to them and said, "Well, they DID melt and make a mess!"

I hopped up to see what he was talking about and found wax all over the wood cabinet top and splattered up the wall.

I couldn't believe that candles would splatter...then it dawned on me: When I blew the candles out, the melted wax that puddled near the quick had gone flying out! So I was the one who made the mess.

Next time, I'll pinch those flames out instead of blow on them. (Geeze)

The wax came out okay but the color stained the wood and the wall. Red is my favorite color, but not like this! I have to do some research and see how I can get it out.

Well, Blogging World..... Happy New Year!

Raccoons: 1 Cat: 0

2011-12-31T12:37:00.000-08:00

We got home from out trip to find the cat food dish all bloody. My friend had been checking on Hook daily because she could tell the raccoons were getting in the garage through the cat door and eating his food and dirtying his water!

Well, they got more than food. He had a nasty bite on his foot and on his cheek. It took six stitches to patch him up.

Niow I am thinking up ways I can help Hook even out the score.

Hmmmmm

The Mystery Doll

2011-12-29T20:06:00.000-08:00

I went through the last of our boxes in the loft of our barn. I don't even care to tell you how long those boxes were gathering dust and bat guana! One box was filled with childhood dolls. Some of them were mine and some of them were Kari's. This one was in with all my storybook dolls. He looks like that type of doll. His arms and legs do not move but his eyes open and close. This looks like a British policeman. If it came from my old dolls, it would be about 55 years old. If he is Kari's, he is about 20 years old. Of course, all of them went to Kari because I'm busy purging!

Any clues would be fun to gather and hear???

To Heck With the Candy Store

2011-12-28T08:40:00.000-08:00

'just give this little girl Santa!
When she pushed a button on the table, Santa came alive. She made sure he never stopped for long. Santa absolutely mesmerized her.
Very precious.

Hang Town

2011-12-26T17:51:00.000-08:00

Placerville, CA... where the public restrooms were once a jail... or perhaps still are? Luckily for me, I didn't need to venture in!

The shops were small and each one had its own flavor. The day before Christmas, things were hopping. We couldn't even squeeze into some of the shops.

Main Street is small.

And important.

Standing outside of the hotel gave us free WiFi.... what fun.

Decorations sparkled indoors as the sunshine streamed in.

I want a screen door like this one!

And lastly, I looked up across the street and gasped as I saw this guy swinging. Of course it's a dummy, but the real dummy is ALWAYS me because I jump and scream so easily! (No, I did NOT read the fine print to find out the history of Hang Town and the tree.... I think I could figure that one out on my own!)

It was a fun afternoon to say the least.

Warm Memories

2011-12-24T08:49:00.000-08:00

This wheelbarrow was made by my dad. Dad died 34 years ago now. Wow, it doesn't seem possible.

So this old wheelbarrow was out in Mom's barn when she moved a few years back. No one wanted it and we had just enough room in the back of our truck for it. Eventually, it made its way to D and J's backyard; knowing it would be a good home for it. Joseph painted it and set it in their garden.

I understand the chickens all climbed up and explored every inch of it the minute it landed in the garden. They are so darn much fun to watch.

So nothing gone to waste. Wheelbarrow recycled. Warm memories pouring forth and warm memories being made.

Cancer Sucks. Period.

2011-12-21T16:56:00.000-08:00

Cancer does not effect only the person who has the horrible disease, but the family and loved ones surrounding him/her. I hate it. Who doesn't?

I hate the energy it sucks from everyone.

I hate the time it takes for all the tests, the bloodwork, then the "treatments." Time away from family, from work, from daily activities. Precious time.

And most of all, I hate the crap-shoot that the patient must play throughout the whole ordeal.

It is a crapsoot. Nothing more. Nothing less.

I'd rather play the lottery and I'm not a gambling person.

A friend of Joseph and Danette who has gone through the crap-shoot herself, sent Joseph a hat to keep his bald head warm. The words say it all.

F*#*! Cancer!

Some Pretty Photos

2011-12-17T15:29:00.000-08:00

I thought I'd post some cool photos before we head out for CA. Enjoy.

This is the bald-faced hornets' nest which fell during some high winds. The shell is like paper and feels strong enough to write on.

The Elk Have Arrived

2011-12-17T07:58:00.000-08:00

Once again, the elk are out. I could see the cars stopping on the main road so I knew they were out. I took my camera with me as I walked to the mailbox. They weren't close, but they sure were beautiful as ever. There were deer, elk and wild turkeys all in the same field. How lucky am I to be able to see that.

This is how far away there were from me.

This is how close I got with my zoom lens!

Huge!

Another Quilt Finished

2011-12-15T16:34:00.000-08:00

Although I didn't make the quilt top, I did put this together and quilt it on my Bernina Aurora 440. The top was purchased by my son-in-law in Guatemala. It is all crewel work on muslin. I had problems with two sides as the embroidery work made the sides of the quilt pucker. So I had these mini ocean waves around the sides to try and work in. I just treated them like a sleeve in a child's dress! I used muslin on the back and binding so as not to detract from the lovely work.

I am going to give the quilt back as a gift to my s-i-l as he has no clue it is in my possession. He has had other more important issues to deal with.... like cancer... bless his sweet heart.

I hope when he curls up under this, he will feel the love sewn in between all those lovely bright colors.

Brrrr... Someone Froze our Sunlight!

2011-12-05T06:24:00.000-08:00

Seriously, we have not seen the sunshine since we left California! It has been freezing and foggy every day. We are burning through our wood, (pun intended!)

Walking through the woods is very eery. The fog has just enough moisure in it to wet things down then the frost comes. All the spiderwebs are showing up in the darndest places! There was one hanging from a 70' tall pine tree and it angled down to earth. With the frost, it looked like a kite string. We drove through it yesterday and it took quite a bit to break it. It made me wonder just how many spiders or spiderwebs we must breathe in on a daily basis without having any clue to their existence! (Here I thought I was a vegetarian....but after seeing their crisscross of webs where I walk, I'll lay odds I've eaten spiders!)

....Which reminds me of a camping trip years ago. I had a cast iron Dutch Oven outside the tent. One evening, I filled it with water and boiled up some pasta. I had it all made and was stirring the cheese into the "gourmet" meal when I discovered SEVERAL earwigs! OMG! They were impossible to retrieve. I just kept stirring and served it up. I figured if my family didn't know, I wasn't going to tell them. Besides, I'm sure it added a bit of protein to the meal.

This is our railing on our deck. I had no clue it was full of spiderwebs. One cannot see them in the sunshine. But the are certainly EVERY WHERE. (Trust me.)

A Sweet and Timely Gift

2011-12-04T15:34:00.000-08:00

One of my birthday surprises was a package from Amy filled with these amazing note cards. I swear, I had circled note cards in my Current catalog the very day these arrived. Perfect timing and oh so much better than store bought cards. Thanks, Amy for thinking about me and sharing your talents with me. Hugs!!

My Kind of Grapes!

2011-12-01T17:56:00.000-08:00

We arrived in CA and our grandkids were in the backyard. I kept hearing their voices but couldn't see the kids. Then I spotted them ABOVE me! Oh my, it was a "Kodak Moment"!!!

Yup, they were hanging in the grape arbor!

Check out the mustache... and to think, he is only 5 years old!

Even Zipper was hanging out for a photo-op!

On Leave

2011-11-21T11:30:00.000-08:00

We are taking a leave to go to CA to be with Danette, Joseph, Kai and Zoe. Joseph is undergoing chemo as his lymphoma has returned with a vengeance. He has to have one round in his spine then a few days later, more chemo in the rest of his body. Needless to say, he is very sick during this process. Just as he starts feeling stronger, it's time to do it again. Such is the cycle of chemo.

We will go to keep the kids busy and to help wherever possible. It isn't much but it's what Danette needs right now.

Since it's Thanksgiving.... I thought I'd express a few things that I am thankful for. I am thankful for my husband, Jack, who continually amazes me with his talents and skills as an overall builder, cabinetmaker, plumber, electrician, lumberjack, bricklayer, etc.... the list goes on and on. One only has to look around our home and property to see the beauty he has created with his hands. He amazes me too in how he puts up with me!

I am thankful for my daughters. All moms should be blessed with such awesome children.

I am thankful for my family and extended family. The in-laws and the out-laws. I know in my heart that if ever I needed help, all I would have to do is pick up the phone and dial any one of them.

I am thankful for my friends. The older I get, the fewer I have. Those still remaining are like precious gems to me. Again, I know each of them would come running if ever I needed anything.

I'm thankful for living in America. I get frustrated up to my eyeballs with our government but all in all, I feel quite lucky to be living here.

I'll focus on all of you and your goodness this Thanksgiving and shout out an extra Thank You!

I love this photo so much I thought it would be a good one to share. The shadows and golden tone from the early morning sunshine had me rather entranced. If the sun didn't move so quickly, I may have sat there for hours just enjoying the patterns.

It's Snowing!

2011-11-20T08:59:00.000-08:00

(Well..... for ½ an hour anyway.) This is our second "snow" this year. The first was just a dusting two weeks ago and then yesterday. It hung in the trees and stuck to the ground but the sunshine popped out and melted it all away.

Don't get me wrong, I'm happy when the snow does NOT stick. I just enjoy how lovely it looks from the warmth of my home. I do not enjoy the need to dress like the Michelin Man to go outdoors and slush around in it.

2 weeks ago at the library.

The view from my favorite window in the attic closet.

A Market Bag Spin-off

2011-11-19T07:46:00.000-08:00

Okay, now that my BFF Eileen knows the secret about a student's new book bag, I can post this.

This precious 8th grade girl has begged and begged me to make her a dress. She even drew up a design. Well, I didn't want to make her a dress and have her all disappointed so I offered to make her a book bag. She agreed. Then she told me what she wanted on it and what colors and how long the straps had to be, etc. ... and it had to be able to carry her binder and all of her books! Whew! Tall order.

I made the bag and took it to the school office. I had typed up a "contract" with terms for her to sign. She had to agree before seeing the bag or knowing exactly what it was that she would not tell anyone at school where she got the bag or who made it. If she agreed to those terms, she could have the gift.

She signed and got the bag.

She loves it!

Peace Out!!

Library Busy-ness

2011-11-16T07:50:00.000-08:00

Before going to visit Mom, I was up to my eyeballs with the library's annual book sale. Since I'm the president of the Friends of the Library, I needed to be involved every step of the way. I remember last year several of us said we really needed to have two annual sales so we didn't have so many books. Yup, we were saying it again this year. So I'll find a time when the weather is nice and we can throw some tables outside and have another sale. We have to haul them from a storage shed outside the library anyway, so it won't be much further to the parking lot!

Oh, we raised $700. Not bad for a cold, wet, blustery weekend sale.

I have to say it was due to the fantastic volunteers in our little community. They are amazing!

Sisters and Twins, but not Twin Sisters

2011-11-15T07:59:00.000-08:00

I've returned home from a quick visit to Mom's. I even got to see my aunt, my sister, my "twin" brother and his wife, two nieces a grandniece and a grandnephew... all without leaving Mom's! The others were up to their eyeballs with rocks at a rock show!

Sisters:

Oh, you never knew I had a twin brother? Well, check it out..... we are both 65 years old. Is that cool or what? I cannot imagine it, but Mom says it was no problem having us so close together. (Notice she waited 4 years before having another child!)

Actually, we celebrate 13 days every year that we are the same age, then he takes the lead, as usual!

As different as we all are, there is something special about having family around. We might disagree on many subjects but the importance of the love of family is one thing we all agree upon.

Another special thing for me is that my sister-in-laws are like sisters and my brother-in-law is like a fourth brother. It is as if we were all raised together.... strange, but they do fit so well into the quirkiness of the family.

So turning 65 wasn't as painful as I imagined. Being surrounded by family must have been the magic pill I was meant to swallow.

Now..... I'm working towards 66!!

11.11.11

2011-11-09T16:06:00.000-08:00

11.11.11 will be my 65th birthday. I think that makes me an OFFICIAL SENIOR CITIZEN.

Yup, 65 years ago, this beautiful woman, (the one on the left...my sweet niece is on the right), gave birth to me two full months premature on 11.11.1946. The story goes that I was allergic to Mom's milk so I had a black wet nurse. Dad used to tell me that I got my curls from her milk! Then he'd say I got my curls from eating burned food. It came down to the fact that I got my curls from Dad.

65 years. Wow! I honestly thought I would die before my 30th birthday. I seriously believed it. I even had the way I would die all figured out... aka... murder! Oh my! And that was before CSI and all the gore on t.v these days.

So I was wrong. Here I am 65 and Mom is 88. Other than pneumonia right now, she is healthy.

You want to know something? I get to celebrate my 65th birthday with Mom!

I'm hitching a ride with a friend to Washington and will walk, giggle, put puzzles together and love being with Mom.

I don't care if the sun doesn't shine, we shall have three glorious days together.

Bald Faced Hornets' Nest

2011-11-06T06:47:00.000-08:00

One thing about the caterpillars eating all the leaves from the trees: we can see the hornets' nests!

Living Stump

2011-11-05T08:00:00.000-07:00

A living stump is created when a live tree is cut and its stump remains in the ground. The stump and root system may remain alive for several years if its roots graft to nearby living trees.^[1] A living stump capable of producing sprouts or cuttings is known as a stool, and is used in the coppicing method of woodland management. (Source: Wikipedia)

For 30 years I have known about living stumps. What I didn't know was that they are common. The only one I was aware of is at the Rogue River Gorge. One day, I was walking back from the mail box when I looked over in our woods and saw a living stump. I was so jazzed. Why hadn't I seen it before? I'm always looking for photo ops. Then I saw another one and another one! These photos are of the first one I discovered.

Beware of Gifts...They Might Bite You in the Butt

2011-11-04T07:50:00.000-07:00

Sure enough, I gave Jack an iTouch for his birthday so he would have more room for all his music. He can also talk to one daughter who has a smart phone via Face Time. So the two of them talk "shop" all the time and I am clueless. I like being clueless sometimes.

But after this morning, I now know I need to do some research and find out just what this iTouch can do. I found out one thing.... it is a recording device.

Jack called me in the living room. He had his iTouch plugged into our stereo system. I thought I was going to have to stand there and listen to yet another singer he has "discovered"! But what came out of those speakers was not music..... it was me snoring. In Dolby Surround Sound nearly full blast!

Oh great. What was I thinking when I gave him this gift? Oh yeah, I was thinking I'd get his old iPod and I could download French lessons and listen to French all day.

I have to admit, it was funny. He got just about every one of my various snores. I didn't know I had different ones, but I most certainly do. So we stood in the living room and had a glorious comic relief moment at my expense. I just hope he doesn't learn how to post to YouTube or I'm in big trouble!

FOUND in Road

2011-10-31T14:58:00.000-07:00

I was walking home after putting some mail out this morning and came upon this Western Pond Turtle in the middle of the road. I don't know where she was headed, but it was a dangerous place to stop for a rest. I picked her up and carried her home with me so I could snap some photos. I have never been this close to one before because they are so timid when we go down to our pond.

They are endangered because of shrinking habitat and increasing predators, etc.

Pretty cool.

Hobbit Land

2011-10-29T13:37:00.000-07:00

We are having a new firebreak put into our underworld brush below the house. I love walking through this scrub area as it reminds me of the stories about the hobits. I think they might just have lived here at one time.

I know the fox, coyote, quail, doves and rabbits sure like this area. I hope we don't disturb them too much.

Ta Dah !!

2011-10-25T06:40:00.000-07:00

It's about time I have a "Ta Dah" moment. I need more of these so I can wrap up some of the many projects I started but for some reason have not finished.

This quilt has a story to it. I began by wanting to use up my scraps. I figured I could lay the rows out so the colors would appear like a rainbow. Nope. I didn't like it. No matter how I tossed up the pieces, I didn't like it.

So I began taking away colors. I can't believe that the first color I took AWAY was red. Red - my favorite color. Then I tossed the pink out and the orange ones.

I ended up with one that is much more pleasing to the eye. Well, to my eye(s) anyway.

I put the pieces together at a retreat this year and then set it aside. I dragged it out again last week and decided I really like it. It is bright and cheerful. So it is going to be a gift to bring cheer and light to the owner. I thought about the person as I quilted away and I poured love, healthy, happy thoughts and more love into my stitches.

I have studied my color wheel and just cannot figure out why this works. Purple and yellow are opposite then I have turquoise and green. If anyone can explain what happened, please let me know.

It is 72" x 56" so it will be a nice size lap quilt to cuddle up with.

Grandkids or Squirrels

2011-10-24T08:00:00.000-07:00

Trying to get a photo of all five grandchildren smiling and looking at the camera at the same time might not be possible in my family. I don't know if they are part squirrel or not.

I did get one good one but I can't post it because I want to get some nice prints and mail to family.

Another "Infestation"!

2011-10-20T12:59:00.000-07:00

I call it an infestation because these dang, ugly HUGE bugs are in just too many places near me! We have found about four in our garage, 2 in the horse tack room, and several around in the garden, etc. This one was about 3" or maybe 3.5" Too big. Just too big.

We call them potato bugs, but their official name is Jerusalem crickets. According to Wikipedia:

Despite their names, Jerusalem crickets are a distinct lineage within the Orthoptera, separate from crickets (eg Gryillidae), are not native to Jerusalem, and they do not prefer potatoes for food.

Pretty as a Picture

2011-10-18T10:56:00.000-07:00

Just before we left for California, a friend gave me some of the tail end of her garden bounty. Mmmmm, I was in heaven over these veggies. Our gardening days may be over - (sigh). We'll see. Anyway, I love looking at vegetables as much as I enjoy eating them!

Subbing

2011-10-10T16:35:00.000-07:00

I love to substitute for other instructional assistants. I get my "kid fix" AND I can look the other way when special projects are stacked around the schools. I mean, I stared at a HUGE pile of aluminum cans and plastic bottles and didn't have to dive into any of it. The past 10 years, I've been the one organizing the can/bottle drives. I've been the one to spend her lunch, breaks, before and after school sorting through stinky beer cans and garbage.

But not any more. I now go to work on time.... not 45 minutes early like I always did and I come home on time..... not 1-2 hours later like I usually did. It feels strange but wonderful at the same time.

Today, I got to sub at our rural school in Trail. It is such a precious building. I crack up every time I see this one old, old pine tree that somehow has survived years of woodpeckers hammering away at it's bark. There isn't a square inch without a hole in the trunk.

I talked to the custodian and he told me he discovered 230 pounds of acorns stashed in the bell tower of the school! OMG!!!! They stash them under the roof, in the sides of the building, etc. What a nuisance. It was funny because there are acorns everywhere. Today was a rainy day and recess was inside the gymnasium. No lie, there were acorns everywhere in the gym. Each time I picked one up, I smiled.

Hugo Quilt Show

2011-10-09T19:27:00.000-07:00

I just love our local quilt shows. I couldn't find anyone to go with me so I decided to go solo... (nothing new for me since I moved to Oregon!) I scrounged around for all my hiding places and filled my wallet with cash and I was on my way. Hugo is a community about 70 miles from my home. The drive is a pretty one.

The Hugo Ladies Club is a group of women who purchased a one room school house out in the middle of no-where, aka: Hugo. They meet there to quilt and put on a lovely show once a year. They have several who do beautiful hand quilting which I absolutely adore. Equally exciting is the fact that they always seem to be on the cutting edge with some sort of quilt challenge or art quilts. Check out just some of the quilts I saw:

Awesome, aren't they?

A Name is Just a Name

2011-10-05T08:46:00.000-07:00

A few years ago, I had heard of blogs but had never actually read one. That was until a some-how-cousin, Amy, back in Virginia began a blog. She posted photos from an annual family reunion which I had wanted to attend. I actually got a few miles away one year but felt guilty for leaving my pregnant due-any-time daughter behind in North Carolina. So I turned around and missed the reunion.

Then the photos were posted. I scrutinized every single one of them and vowed to make it back to a reunion some time. (Which I did with Mom a few years ago.... what fun!)

Anyway, I peeked in on Amy's blog and "watched" her children growing up. I got the courage to leave a comment but I had to create an account to do so.

The next thing I knew, I had accepted a challenge from Amy to post a photo a day for one full year.

That meant I needed a name for my blog. Heck, I had the photo ready to post so I typed in my blog name and never thought about it again.

Do I tend to ramble when I speak? Sometimes, but not always. Do I have important things to talk about? Sometimes, but not often. Do I enjoy sharing with others snippits of my life? Always.

I've kept my blog up because I know Mom checks in on me almost every day. (Hi, Mom!) I know Mom doesn't care if I ramble.

I have discovered a world of bloggers who write about everything from their home life, their children, their pets, their travels, cooking, sewing, knitting, crocheting, quilting, scrapbooking, artwork, etc. You name it, there is a blog about it. Somehow, I found Soggibottom and as I read her blog today, she pointed me to this blog called As Sweet As Cinnamon which is running a give-away if we tell how we came to name our blog.

There are tons of blogs to check out just from her blog!

So mosie on over and who knows, maybe you'll start your own blog for all of us to visit!

Flat as a Pancake

2011-10-04T07:46:00.000-07:00

Jack and I kept smelling a rotten odor in the laundry room. I scrubbed the carpet runner, the floor, the appliances, the door. I put baking soda on the carpet thinking we might have spilled some compost as it was waiting to go down to the barn. The smell got a little better but then it hit us again yesterday.

I had Jack pull out the washer and dryer to see if there was a rotten potato or apple back there. Nope... just a lot of dust balls.

Then Jack found the source:

This little guy was no bigger than my thumb and manage to smell up the whole laundry room from INSIDE the door jam!

We have tons of these little frogs and s/he was just in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Just in the Nick of Time

2011-10-03T10:10:00.000-07:00

Whew! Jack finished the wood shed just in time for the rain to begin. Of course, now that I'm retired, I had the pleasure of being his "go-for" gal and his "hold-this" gal... so I helped build it. He also let me throw one load of wood into our big truck and stack it up. He did most of it on days I was subbing at work.

The wood siding is fresh so it doesn't match the house but given time, it most certainly will.

We aren't ready for a fire in the stove just yet, but we did turn the heat pump on for the first time this season. MMMmmmm makes me want to make a big pot of soup.

I don't know who helped Jack more... Hook or me.

Oh Happy Me!

2011-10-01T09:38:00.000-07:00

See these?

These are my size 8 capris that I have to TAKE IN!!! Oh yeah!

I went on that HCG diet right after school got out. I stayed on for two weeks then stopped. Then I went on it again 3 weeks ago. I have lost most of the weight I want to and have dropped enough that my pants all need taking in.

I decided to take them totally apart and do them right. I hate shopping so much that I would much rather fix my old clothes to fit!

Playing Around

2011-09-29T08:09:00.000-07:00

I have been playing around with my two new books:

"Sew Wild" by Alisa Burke

and

"Journal Spilling" by Diana Trout

Both books are helping me to experiment with mixed media. This is something I have been wanting to do for a long time but I've been afraid to open my jars of Gesso or Modge Podge... and just what does one do with oil pastels anyway? I have found that I like water color pencils. Oh my, they are fun.

So here are some of my pages. I have decided I am not out for the artistic part of this yet. I'm just in it for throwing things onto my pages and feeling the different art tools that I own.

This is not art.... trust me.

I'd never used gel pens and expected something totally different from this. They are supposed to resist what you put on top of them. Hmmmmm. I was so afraid to paint on plain paper. Weird... but the Gesso offered such a nice protection to the page, it was amazing.

I was supposed to rip out magazine pages for a theme and I just listed some things I love. Then I painted over with Gesso..... I don't quite like that look but maybe I had too much Gesso or I worried too much about covering what I had laid down. The flowers were playing with a variety of pens, pencils, etc. Just feeling the way the mediums went onto the paper.

Sandy had sent me Aplets and Cottlets and I just couldn't throw the liner paper away so I glued it down with Modge Podge. I found out you cannot paint over that stuff! I had to use crayons. The little plant hanger was with water color pencils. Note to self: black is a very powerful pencil.

I enjoyed the doodling with this page. I needed to fill in every thing but was having trouble doing that. I really did want to leave white space. This was a happy lesson.

Again, I went with the "things I love" theme and decided to make some skyscrapers to list what I love since skyscrapers are near the top of my list. I couldn't find a pen I liked to write with so that will be my next experiment. Just get out all my pens and write away to see which ones I'll use for what projects!

All in all, these two books are forcing me to stretch beyond my comfort zone. Way beyond it! I am playing with art supplies I've had for years and just moved them from one place in the cupboard to another. I am excited about that.

And lastly, I hope to be able to really fine tune what art supplies I carry with me on my next trip to France. I had packed way too many last time. More art supplies and travel books than clothes! But I'm not a fashionable kinda gal so who cares?!

Hooray!!! She Does It Again!

2011-09-26T07:33:00.000-07:00

Our eldest daughter, Danette, is a cancer survivor. Last year was her first time ever taking part in a triathlon for women who have cancer, have survived it, or know someone who has, etc. It is called the See Jane Run Triathlon. Hers was in Pleasanton, CA.

We were not able to go and watch her with this amazing athletic event, but she shared some photos.

Oh... not only did she finish the race, but she came in #13 in her age category which I think is 40-44.

She came in 18th last year so she got stronger this time around.

Getting ready to swim 400 yards.

They mark their ages on their legs.

Coming in after 11 miles of riding that bike!

The final leg of the triathlon is just that - running 3 miles!

Look at her, I bet she could go another 3 miles! You go, girl!

No End in Sight

2011-09-25T10:30:00.000-07:00

I know I am obsessed with these dang caterpillars. If you walked outside and they dropped from the trees into your hair or down the front of your shirt, wouldn't you become obsessed too? They just do not stop. We try to eat outside and they drop down out of nowhere ... etc., etc., etc.

So this is a shot of our driveway by the garage. Maybe a 7" by 12" area.

They start with just a few nibbles.

Then a few more.

They continue until they have stripped the leaves down to the center veins.

Remember, this is a tree that I'm working hard at knocking them out, hosing them off, or shouting at them to leave us alone!

Normally, I cannot see inside the tree to these branches. Now, it seems the branches is what we see most of all. Yes, I'm obsessed - they are even in my dreams. When I close my eyes at night and before I open them in the morning, I see caterpillars.

Talk Like a Pirate

2011-09-22T10:56:00.000-07:00

Tuesday was Talk Like a Pirate Day at our local library. The official day was Monday but our library is only open three half-days a week and Monday isn't one of those days. Since I am the new president of the Friends of the Library for our branch, I figured I best play the role even though I can't talk like a pirate no matter how hard I try! I managed "scurvy dogs" and "walk the plank" and "aaaarrrrrgh!" and that was about the extent of my pirate vocabulary.

There were games, activities, scavenger hunts, refreshments, prizes and just plain fun. My favorite was this "I SPY" game where they had to find objects in this "Pirates' Cove".

It's Here!

2011-09-21T07:35:00.000-07:00

Oh my gosh! I pre-ordered this wonderful book by Alisa Burke called "Sew Wild" and it arrived yesterday in the mail. I am so excited that I decided to treat myself to the book today. I didn't even crack open the cover yesterday. So today, while Jack is walking the aisles of the hardware stores and roofing supply places, I'll be snuggled up soaking some art tips from my book.

(Please note that this is NOT my usual behavior because I am known to peek inside a gift way before it is officially time to open it.)

Bible Covers

2011-09-18T11:39:00.000-07:00

Okay, I can post this photo now that the Bible covers I made for Amy and Ashley have made it to Virginia. Amy's ended up too big so I may just have to make her another one. ;o)

The Pregnant Scrapbook

2011-09-16T08:13:00.000-07:00

My France scrapbook is pregnant! It keeps getting bigger and bigger.

Obviously, I am going about this the wrong way. I already have three bags full of papers I've tossed out but it looks like I need to toss more. This photo is my scrapbook currently. I have about this much more to add! I haven't even covered Normandy, Lyon, Switzerland, Italy, The Netherlands, Belgium and the last trip to Paris yet.

But everything has such a great memory and it is important to me so what do I do? Hmmmm, okay, I don't have to keep the ENTIRE train schedule book, or the ENTIRE Sudoku puzzle book or the sugar cubes I never used in my morning coffee and maybe I can toss out some of the empty wrappers from numerous chocolate bars?

It looks like I'll be going through this book again and again and again to lessen the load. It's a good thing nothing is glued down yet. Oh, and this doesn't include any photographs. I think I'll put those in a photo album. That will be another problem: squeezing 1,000 photos down to 60 or less. It's a small photo album.

The fun part is looking at all of this and recalling the memories attached.

(Mom, Jack, Ina and Warren, you are all in these pages with me!)

Check out my YouTube Video!

2011-09-14T18:52:00.000-07:00

What a fun and exhausting day! I walked 1/2 a mile to get our mail. I unlocked the box and heard this "baa.... maa..." and looked up to see two adorable goats running straight at me. I hurried off the roadway and walked back towards where they live.

They were so cute and behaved almost like dogs.

I tried to say "good-bye" and shoo them back home but they kept following me. I got so far that I got worried and turned around back to their house. I told the owner the goats had followed me. He said, "That's what they do." (Um.... okay..)

I asked, "Will they find their way home?"

Unplussed, he said, "Yes."

So they followed me to the horse barn. I figured I would give them oats and while they were eating oats, I'd run home.

Well, I opened the tack room and they followed me. The horse got upset and chased them out into the field and into a corner. So there I was trying to get between the horse and the goats. The horse wanted to kick them or rear up at them and they wanted to crawl into my arms!

Around and around we went until I finally got them out of the horse area. Yup, they followed me home, the oats were of no concern to them!.

Once at home, they started to eat every plant Jack and I have managed to keep alive!

It was another 20 minutes with me chasing them around the house and trying to get the ATV out of the garage while keeping them out of the garage. Oh my! I was tired to say the least.

Then I had to start and stop and call them or "baa" at them to follow me. I led them home and closed their pen with them inside. To heck with the owner!

(If you can't open the youtube, this is the address:)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=38Npj3QPMr4

Aaargh!

2011-09-13T13:07:00.000-07:00

Our forest is so stressed right now. I have taken to wearing a wide brimmed hat when I go outdoors to keep the caterpillars from dropping into my hair. Yes, they were doing that and I'd itch for the rest of the day just thinking about it!

Now the oak trees are showing stress signs too. Although this fungus is beautiful to look at and watch it grow in size, it is a sign of an illness. (Or so I understand.)

My Market Bag Made You-Tube!

2011-09-08T07:24:00.000-07:00

I made numerous market bags to give to special women who worked around me last year. One was for the secretary and I worried that she might find it too floral. In response, she sent this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S3RVgAXA470

Sites featured in the video are:

Rogue River Gorge

Clearwater Falls

Whitehorse Falls

Watson Falls

Toketee Falls

Fall Creek Falls

Crater Lake

Rogue River Lodge

What fun! Thanks, Sharstin, I'm happy that you like your bag.

Poop Patrol

2011-09-07T07:07:00.000-07:00

I've been busy trying to save a couple of trees and an old rose bush that the tent caterpillars want to call their own. I start my mornings with a cup of coffee then I check the patio for CPP (caterpillar pellet poop)! There is a ton of it every morning and evening. According to the internet, it is good fertilizer. Like I should sweep it and haul it to the garden!
All I know is that it is hard and hurts the bottom of my feet. Yes, I can usually be found barefooted - (Kari did not get her shoe fetish from me!)
I "wash" down the tree of any caterpillars I can manage to get and then hose down the deck. Hosing down the trees has become rather therapeutic.

Where's Amy When I Need Her?

2011-09-06T05:50:00.000-07:00

Well, house is clean; now to get on with the BIG project that I want to do while Jack is away and that is making my scrapbok from my 2006 trip to France.

My problem is this: It took four years to prepare for the trip and I have four years worth of paperwork, references, ideas, etc. to squeeze into the album along with the crazy things I saved to put into the album. ... like my worn out shoe inserts!

I could use Amy right about now... the Scrapping Queen.

OH my.... I just realized this doesn't even include the 3,000 photos I took! (I might have to ask Jack to extend his trip by two months!!)

I color coded my spreadsheets for the most expensive to the cheapest. I tracked whether the 1-star hotel (many hotels ended up being negative 1-star!) had a shower in the room or not. One spreadsheet is of all the places I wanted to visit and how much the trains were from one pit-stop to another vs. whether to use my Eurail Pass or not! I printed out the European keyboard to study.

Hours and hours and hours and hours of reading and typing and exploring ... all with a dial-up connection on our computer.

Now ask me....go ahead, I know you are dieing to ask me.....

"Did I follow my script?"

My answer is this: My new mantra became, "Serendipity...... Serendipity..... Serendipity..."

Preparations for my next trip will take up much less forest products!

Cleaning Machine

2011-09-05T07:46:00.000-07:00

In the two days that Jack has been gone, I have cleaned more than I can imagine. It started last Monday after our trip to CA; a burst of energy came out of nowhere and hit me right in the middle of my solar plexus! Late last night, I decided to finish bleaching down the grout in the kitchen tiles. Whew! I am like a one woman cleaning machine. I'll let you all know just how long this burst of energy lasts; I hope for awhile because my "To Do" list is still way too long.

What's For Dinner?

2011-09-04T06:32:00.000-07:00

Anyone who knows me well would know the answer to that question!

Popcorn for Dinner. Popcorn for Lunch. Popcorn for snacks!

One good thing about being home alone. ;o)

Off on the Red Eye

2011-09-02T10:34:00.000-07:00

Bags are Packed....
         Jack flys out tomorrow on the Red Eye back to Upland. The siblings and cousins are gathering to make those very difficult decisions.... basically, what type of a facility Mom should move into. Arrrgh! I do not envy them the task and the emotional roller coaster ride that just seems to continue.
     I will remain at home, killing catepillars!
     Seeing Jack's luggage being packed again reminded me of this great song by John Denver. (The same link as above.) Circumstances aren't the same at all, but the song comes to mind whenever one of us is leaving the other.

The Hungry, Hungry KILLER Catepillars

2011-08-31T08:02:00.000-07:00

Well, the tent catepillars are killing all of our madrone trees. Last year there were only a few "tents" on some trees; this year, there is an epidemic of them.

We can't do anything aobut this because the webs are so strong, nothing penetrates them. Birds can't even get inside to the catepillars. Every week, more and more of the trees are encased. They even wrap around the trunks of the trees.

I noticed that these webs even stay from one year to the next, just shriveled from the weather.

Very sad. These are my favorite trees.

Home, Sweet Home

2011-08-30T00:07:00.000-07:00

We had a wonderful visit with Janet, Clay, Mom and Clara, Judy, Shannon and two stop-overs at Danette's. No matter the journey, it is always good to be home.

We were there when they took Clay's barn down to make way for a swimming pool.

Me and Janet.....sils

Old stomping grounds.... Simi

Old friends, Judy and Shannon

Jack and his mom

12 lanes of freeway....6 in each direction. I forget how things flow (or not) in L.A. There were stretches where there were 14 lanes of traffic!

Surprise!

2011-08-22T14:59:00.000-07:00

Here we are on the road again. We are just outside of L.A. visiting with Jack's mom and sis. We stopped on the way for Joseph's surprise birthday party. It was a fun day. Thanks, Danette and Kathleen for a great party.

Jessica & Danette

Zoe

Kathleen

Danette, Kathleen and Ralph working hard in the kitchen.

...sampling of the whipped cream frosting!

Question

2011-08-18T15:06:00.000-07:00

Just one question and I'd like to have as many people respond as possible because I will "change my way" if enough folks think differently from me.

If you have a double knit (t-shirt type fabric) "polo" shirt with a collar .....do you iron it?

(I'm going to ask this on my facebook page too but I may not figure out how to find responses. I hate facebook!)

A Quick Bite Before the Big Guy Gets Any

2011-08-17T07:27:00.000-07:00

New Bracelet: $11.00,

2011-08-16T08:16:00.000-07:00

Embroidery Project: $12.00, Ring Stuck on Finger in the Store: almost $5.00, Day Hanging Out With Friend: Priceless !!

Eileen and I went to Jacksonville and visited just about every store in town. One of the hardest decisions was where to have lunch because everything looked so good. We chose well; just don't ask me the name of the restaurant.

(As a reminder: the one on the left is retired and the one on the right will be going back to school in a few weeks!)

I love the old paintings on the brick buildings.

Jacksonville was a gold mining town so scenes like this one are tucked here and there around town.

If we would have ridden into town on horseback, it would have felt more natural to me.

The flowers were not only lovely to look at, but some were tasty to eat! Eileen even sampled a petal from a nasturshum. Mmmmm they are so firery, they clear my sinuses!

I want this statue!

The trolly runs around town with a guide telling the history.

I spent just the right amount of money, found everything I was looking for, the weather was perfect, we talked ourselves out and laughed like good friends should.

Thanks, Eileen!!

Aplets and Cotlets oh My

2011-08-15T08:31:00.000-07:00

As a young girl, I sold Aplets and Cotlets and Almond Roca for my Camp Fire Girls' group. I used to love selling and I enjoyed even more to eat the yummy treats.

I loved going back to Cashmere, WA if for nothing else but the memory of those little sweet treats. Well, I must have talked about them enough because Sandy sent me a box in the mail.

This isn't just an ordinary box of Aplets and Cotlets; it's a Liberty Orchards 90th Anniversary special edition commemorative collection of Aplets, Cotlets, Grapelets, Strawberry, Boysenberry and Cupcake flavored candies.

I didn't know they made different flavored "lets", but they sure do. I didn't like the cupcake ones, they tasted like cupcakes of all things! Grapelets were good but a bit too subtle for me and the others were great.

Am I sharing them with Jack? Well, they are out on the countertop for anyone to snag one, but so far, I'm the only one with a sweet tooth in this household. (Jack is busy eating his chocolate birthday cake!)

(There aren't as many left now as there were when I took this photo!)

Thanks, Sandy!

River Art Walk

2011-08-13T17:59:00.000-07:00

We met with an old buddy of Jack's and his wife and checked out our annual River Art Walk. It was a hot, hot day and being along the river helped tremendously. It was great seeing so many artists in one area. I do hope they all sold their art. We bought some gifts so that was fun to help some starving artists!

The river was like a freeway in the middle of Los Angeles; there were so many rafters spending the day on the water.

The four of us.

Jack is checking out the fly tying demo.

Some of the art booths along the path.

We decided to walk across the bridge and have lunch outdoors on the patio.

Here is the view from Miguel's Guadalajara Restaurant looking across at the River Art Walk.

All in all, it was a great RETIRED day.

A Senior Citizen Lives Here!

2011-08-13T07:59:00.000-07:00

It's official: Jack is 65 and is carrying a Medicare card in his wallet. How the heck did that happen?! I'm married to an old man. (Well, for another three months--then I turn 65!)

Well, happy birthday, Jack!

Since I believe whole-heartedly that everyone deserves a homemade birthday dessert on his/her birthday.... I made Jack a chocolate-chocolate cake.

Now comes the challenge of cleaning my "white" grout from all that deep, dark cocoa powder I managed to spill as I made the cake. (He is sooooOOOo worth al the trouble!)

En Plein Air

2011-08-11T07:14:00.000-07:00

En plein air is French for "in the open air." Our Upper Rogue Artists' Association has been painting outdoors every month rather than meeting indoors. As long as the weather holds, we'll be outside. The last two sessions were held on Fridays just before we left on trips. I never seem to have everything together enough for me to go and paint all day long. Therefore, I take photos and come back and paint here. I have several to choose from this month as we were on the river.

Maybe I'll start one today. I want to play with my pastels. Maybe the greens won't be so hard with chalk. I'll have to see how it goes.

Well, I had five more photos but they are all turned sideways. So just imagine many lovely options along the river.

Rafting Quilted Wallhanging

2011-08-10T10:13:00.000-07:00

I made this little wall hanging quilt a few years ago. It seems it has finally found a home. I'm donating it to the Friends of the Library for a basket to be raffled off. The theme of the basket is Shady Cove. I figured this would be the perfect gift since the raft shop has been here forever. Folks will recognize it for the flip flops hanging from the tree.

The funds go to help libraries with special programs.

I had fun making this quilt and now I'm having fun in giving it away. We can't hang onto stuff forever can we?

A Journey to Say Farewell

2011-08-08T07:47:00.000-07:00

Our 1972 Chevy Van.

Basically, I have been the main driver on this van for 39 years. Both girls learned to drive in it and we saw a lot of the USA in it. Great times and wonderful memories. After 39 years, there had better be some good memories. I hauled Camp Fire girls all over the L.A. area in it and the camping trips are too numerous to mention.

When I decided to retire, I realized it would mean the van needs to retire as well. I won't be driving very often and we have a car and a truck. How many vehicles do two people need anyway?

Right about the time I knew I'd have to part with the van, Joshua started learning to drive. What a perfect fit. They can't afford to buy a car for him and my first ride in the van was when Jack brought it home brand new and took me to the hospital to have Kari! So it's gone full circle now.

Kari said "yes" they wanted the van. Joshua was stoked. He has thought of nothing since we told him he could have it if he wanted it.

So begins the journey:

Jack drove the van over the mountains and I drove the Subaru.

Last gas in Oregon.

At a rest area in CA.

Josh, Jarod and Jacob waiting in the front yard for us to pull up with the van.

The handing over of the keys. Of course, we later went to DMV and transfered the van legally.

I guess it is going to get a bath once a week whether Josh drives it or not! He is one very excited young man.

I thought I would cry and get a lump in my throat. I always told Jack he would have to bury me in the van because I didn't want to ever drive anything else.
So how did it come to giving it away? I figured the next best thing was to keep it in the family.

Josh is so excited and Jacob and Jarod are already counting the years until they will get to drive it. So it has made them all very happy and isn't that what life is about? To be happy and to help others to be happy? So I'm not sad.

I just hope they have many safe trips in that '72 Chevy van.

Kickin' Back With the Grandkids - Part II

2011-08-08T07:23:00.000-07:00

How can kids grow so fast? From April to August, Jacob grew taller than me. Josh towers over me and I believe he might be a bit taller than Jack. Jarod got taller but we'll have to wait and see where he ends up. They do make me feel like I'm shrinking closer to the earth!

We hung out at the high school pool. Kari was involved in a texting conversation with a friend. What a crazy world! (I don't know why my photos won't flip straight when I upload them here. It may be a new photo program I am using.)

Boys are so different than girls. They eat ALL the time. This is one of the many late night "snacks" Jacob had. He made cheesecake! He ate a piece while it was hot out of the oven then wrapped it and put the rest into the fridge. I don't even want to think of the grocery bill Kari must have!

Jarod was quite the fish in water. He dove for a toy he had brought and that entertained him the entire time.

It was a good trip and we'll be on the road again in 12 days... this time to L.A. to give Jack's sister a break in caring for their mom and aunt. I am so glad I am retired and don't have to worry about squeezing all my projects into this last 12 days before going back to work!

Kickin' Back With the Grandkids - Part I

2011-08-02T14:46:00.000-07:00

I love summers; not so much for the sweet watermelons or fresh juicy tomatoes, but for the visits to our grandkids and friends and families. Zoe and Kai are keeping us entertained with their witty remarks and anticks.

Staying with family tradition. Jack is trying to teach Kai how to ride a two-wheeler!

I'm teaching Zoe how to sew pajama bottoms.

Check these out! I cut them out and she did all the sewing. Now her whole family wants pj bottoms.

Kai watched a movie with Grampie by covering his eyes or holding Grampie's hands over his eyes ("Jack and the Beanstalk").

I learned a new cooking trick from Danette. This is how to chop onions!!

BDIMTRG

2011-07-30T04:49:00.000-07:00

Boy Did I Marry The Right Guy!
I figured I'd be the one scaling the ladder into the skylight and grumblinging until I had finished the painting job. Not only did Jack paint the skylight shaft, but the next thing I knew, he was rolling the walls as well for me! All I had to do was the trim work. Piece of cake.

Well, this is short as we are headed down I-5 once again. This time to deliver the van to Josh and visit with our girls. Yay!
(I don't have time to figure why this came out sideways......ciao!)

Time for a New Bra

2011-07-27T09:25:00.000-07:00

I know, I know....talking about a new bra isn't what one would expect to see on a blog. Nor would one expect to see a photo of a bra cut up into pieces....but I'm not what people expect either. I hate buying new bras. (No, I don't buy old bras either even though the Good Will is my favorite store to shop at!)

I wish I had a dollar for every time I have gone bra shopping and turned up empty handed. They just don't make them to fit my body shape. Once again, I need to buy a bra. Grrrrrrrr. I decided that in order to get a new bra, I had to cut my old one up. This way, I cannot leave the store without one. I can't escape when the piped-in music drives me crazy. I cannot escape when the price tag sends me through the roof. I will chain myself to the display rack until I find something. I am so NOT looking forward to this shopping trip.

Sansevieria Blooms

2011-07-26T07:23:00.000-07:00

I said I'd give an update on my sansavieria blooming, which has never bloomed before that I know of.

The asparagus-like spears more than doubled in size then formed dew drop looking droplets of stickiness. Yesterday, I saw one blossom. Throughout the day, I noticed I was sneezing and blowing my nose. Last night it got really crazy. I could smell a perfume odor in the air and figured something outdoors must be in bloom. All I knew was my allergies were in high gear.

As I was on the phone with my sister, I noticed the blossoms. Wow! That's where the perfume was coming from. They are beautiful, but the sweet odor was overpowering for me. They must shoot out their perfume more at night because they don't smell so much this morning.

Next Home Project

2011-07-24T17:28:00.000-07:00

I decided it's time to paint the Guest/Main bathroom. I figured I didn't have to paint the skylight enclosure because it is already white. WRONG! Jack said I can't paint unless I do it right and "right" means to get up into the light shaft and paint it. Check out the angle the ladder has to be on just to climb up. And even with this, I have to suck it all in just to get past the opening.

If I didn't already have the paint, I'd shine on this paint job.

Straight up and not much room to move. Gulp.

Wenatchee, WA

2011-07-22T17:47:00.000-07:00

I realize that I have posted photos from trips to Wenatchee before, but somehow, this city just keeps calling me. Eastern Washington tugs on my heartstrings in a way that no other countryside has ever done.

This is Castle Rock. Unless you are looking at it from a certain viewpoint, the castle blends into the hills.

A high school teacher, students, the City of Wenatchee and some businesses teamed up to enhance this area of town with a mural painted by the students. Each panel shows a different activity that the locals can enjoy in and around Wenatchee.

The electric company has built up a gorgeous park along both sides of the Columbia River. Not only are the trails great for walking, jogging, riding bikes, etc.; but the artwork along the way was to me a special bonus.

This was one big cat.

Tall poles were set with plywood on top so the osprey could make their nests. This one was busy hauling yet more sticks into this already huge nest.

There were lovely flower gardens along the way too. If anyone knows the name of this flower, please let me know.

This was looking up river towards where we stayed in Entiat.

It's windy along the river but it felt good to both of us.

This amazed me: at the County (or State) Park, they have these life jackets near the boat launch for people to borrow and put back when they are done using them! Free of charge; it was the Honor System. One more reason to want to live in Wenatchee.

As we were leaving, a pretty double rainbow graced the sky. It actually got brighter as time passed.

If anyone needs directions, just let me know. I may just want to hitch a ride with you!

Surprise Attack

2011-07-20T13:36:00.000-07:00

My BFF, Sandy, just accepted a position as minister in Cashmere. Within 30 days time, she had to pack her lifelong belongings, clean her house to sell, organize the move of about 1200 miles and relocate her two dogs and two cats. Moving with her and helping with the details was her 30 year old daughter, Alyssa.

Their journey took three days and about ten times that number worth of stories to tell along the way. Settling in has been less than pleasant with horror stories to tell about their house! I'll spare you all the details, but one week later, they were both questioning their decision to move.

Enter me and my family and my friends to change Sandy's and Alyssa's outlook! The story in photos:

Before leaving home, I had to scramble to pick the boysenberries from our neighbors' bushes since they were on vacation and left the berries to us. MMmmmmm....

Then to Washington where we stayed at Mom's one night then took her to Ina and Warren's lovely home in the San Juan Islands.

It was really tough staying there two nights.

Did I mention that I had taught Ina to quilt not too very long ago? Check out the fabrics in her stash; whereas she had NO stash a few years ago.

She even made this lovely quilt to donate to Friends of Zanika to raffle off. The proceeds go to help rennovate Camp Fire's Camp Zanika Lache. Want to buy some tickets?... just let me know!

Then over the Cascades to get ready for our surprise.

Mom, Ina and me along the Wenatchee River. It smells so good there.

Through Leavenworth, which is a Bavarian style town which draws tourists from all over the place. It had grown a lot since I had been through there last.

We drove through Cashmere and I waved, (just for Sandy and Alyssa!)

Then to the Columbia River headed to Entiat. Notice the trees are gone. It's as if they all fell off the hills and into the river, the change was so drastic.

The view from our house was absolutely gorgeous. The smells here were so different from up the highway by the Wenatchee River. Different and yet so amazingly wonderful.

Mom and Ina enjoying the HEAT!

Jack and Warren enjoying the view and the brew.

Here we all are at the only Mexican restaurant in town.

The food was delicious so we really lucked out.

Heading close to Cashere. This photo is so Sandy's SoCal friends can see the lay of the land where she is now living!

I was so excited, I could hardly contain myself. I was ready to jump out of the car and start jogging. Me, the NON-jogger! "Hurry up, Jack, drive faster!" (I can't believe I actually said those words. I'm usually yelling at him to slow down!)

We got there so early, we had to hide outside the church so Sandy wouldn't see our Oregon plates and figure out why I wasn't answering my home phone!

We all snuck in the back door until Sandy spotted Mom. It confused her at first, then she saw my curly gray hair and knew we were in not only her new town, but her new church as well!

(She would be the short one in green and white.)

From church, we went to Jan and Blake's home. They graciously offered their home for a bbq and our get-together so everyone could meet Sandy & Alyssa and spend time together.

Here the ladies are. Although we didn't post any "Men Not Allowed" signs, it was certainly a segregated group!

This is of the Maringo Road bunch. (Notice our hostess is the only one drinking. I think the stress of me having a party at her house must have forced her to tip the bottle!)

Here we are with three of my BFFs. I've known Sandy 40 years, Carmen 60 years and Jan 58 years.

Sadly, the gathering had to end and we headed back to Entiat. I loved this sign. I couldn't take my eyes off of the hills searching for the wild sheep but didn't see any.

The next day was saying good-bye to family, having lunch with Sandy and spending the rest of the day and evening with Jan and Blake. I'll report on that in my next blog. Wenatchee is such a cool city to visit that it deserves a posting of its own!

In the car on the way home, I discovered loose change at the bottom of my bag. Imagine my surprise to discover they were British pounds! Ina must have planted them in my bag as a hint that we need to plan a trip to England! Hmmmmm, Cornwall? Stonehenge? Doc Martin's village? Soggibottom? Big Ben? Sherwood Forest? Oh dear, this might take some fun sort of planning!, Thanks, Ina.

Outside of Ellensburg, the fields were ablaze with shades of green.

Over the hills towards Yakima and the hills started turning a rosy color behind the sage.

Leaving you with one photo of close to our home. Such diverse landscapes and all are equally beautiful. Dry or wet, brown or green or water blue.... we do live in a beautiful world.

Thanks Ina, Warren, Mom, Janice, Blake, Carmen, Jay, Sandy and Alyssa for a great time. I think I'll just leave my bags packed as we are headed for California in 10 days! Oh my!!

Scrappy Tablecloth

2011-07-11T07:28:00.000-07:00

Some quilting friends and I got together a few years back to trade 6" squares we had all cut out from our green fabrics. We were all to go home and sew a tablecloth. I have been using mine at quilt shows in Jack's booth. Since he isn't doing shows any longer, I actually get to use it as a tablecloth! It washed up beautifully. I think I'll just make myself another one with more scraps. I have smaller leftover squares from all the market bags I've made. Hmmmm....

Introducing Hoppy

2011-07-10T08:08:00.000-07:00

Those little tree frogs became great pets for the week.

They caught this one so many times they named him Hoppy.

He didn't wiggle when they turned him upside down. (It didn't work for little boys, I tried it!)

Voila!

2011-07-09T08:08:00.000-07:00

Five bags! Z is sewing as if she had been sewing for years. She really caught on and loves it. Evidently this sewing bug skips every other generation in our family.

Secret Room is Discovered

2011-07-07T17:04:00.000-07:00

Yay! The kids found the secret room and have been using it like crazy. They will soon be too big for this kind of fun so I'm enjoying every minute I can.
(Hey, Pat, check out how much they have grown!)

There there was the annual artwork on my sewing room cupboard doors.

And the tractor ride with Grampie.

And sewing on Gramie's Bernina. Oh yeah!

OUCH ! @#!*

2011-07-06T07:29:00.000-07:00

Oh yeah, that hurt.
Here I am, supposedly going to teach my young granddaughter how to sew. Uh huh.... sure, first, I have to repair my grandson's favorite "blankie".
Next thing I know, I'm sewing through my finger AND my fingernail!
I was bleeding through the top of my fingernail as well as the bottom of my fingertip.
Then I saw the needle....

When it hit the bone in my finger, it must have just bent up! It looks like a darning needle.

Oh dear, how do I explain this to my new student???

Deck With a View

2011-07-05T06:01:00.000-07:00

It's a good thing I was watching from the deck as Jack hung my new Peace Flag. He had it upside down! His response to my telling him he had it all wrong was, "If this would have been the million dollar question, I would have gotten it wrong!"

Once the task was complete, he took off to his shop....yes that's our cat following him like a puppy dog!

What's Wrong With This Picture?

2011-07-04T07:35:00.000-07:00

The national average of gasoline is $3.55 a gallon but those of us in the West know this is a joke.

New Legs

2011-07-03T06:57:00.000-07:00

I hadn't seen this mom all day until I looked out at 8:30 last night and saw these 8 new legs! She had twins.

Just For Mom

2011-07-02T06:41:00.000-07:00

After talking to Mom last night, I decided I would post my latest fox photos. This guy came right up to our house. I grabbed my camera and made for the deck. He didn't seem to be too afraid, but moved out anyway. Did you know these guys smell a lot like skunks? We smell what we think is a skunk but wait to see it the odor lingers. If it goes away, we know it was a fox passing by; if it gets stronger, we race for the windows to shut the house up tight!

From Giants to Miniatures

2011-07-01T08:22:00.000-07:00

From the giant redwoods one day to our garden the next. I am constantly in awe of our Mother Earth. No matter where you are, there is beauty to be found. This is a photo of a frog who was a little over 1" long, (25.4 mm). He was sitting on our tiny sprinkler head. I was able to zoom in closely. Isn't he pretty?

Our Giants

2011-06-30T06:52:00.000-07:00

The West Coast has the most amazing forests of giant redwood trees. Even though greedy people are still cutting these ancient ones down, we are fortunate enough to be able to drive to see them and feel their strength. My sis and her hubby were visiting so we took this adventure together.

We are not actually trying to reach around the tree, we are hugging it for our Auntie Alice who loved the giants.

WOW!!

International Mail!

2011-06-24T14:50:00.000-07:00

I received this lovely marino wool felted bookmark from a blogging friend, Terrie, who lives in Hong Kong. She had a giveaway on her blog and everyone who commented got a sweet gift that was handmade by Terrie.

It was exciting getting mail from the other side of the earth. I can't explain my surprise when I picked up the bookmark and felt its incredible softness. I could melt into it. No wonder a dress in this would feel so good against the skin.

Thank you so much, Terrie, I love it. You are so sweet to share your art with me.

Summer Solstice Baby

2011-06-22T10:48:00.000-07:00

The babies have arrived!

This little guy was born yesterday and he is already running around like a kid with ADHD!

He is so dang cute.

More babes are on the way any day now.

Retirement Fun

2011-06-16T16:48:00.000-07:00

I have received so many well wishes and fun good-bye gifts. This one is from Janice and every time I pass this by in the hallway, I can't help but smile. This little stone and wire figure reminds me of myself. Thanks for the smiles, Jan!

I didn't make it to my union's retirement party but they brought me this great gift in person the following day. Here is a "BBQ in a Bag." It has a ton of seasonings for the grill, for guacamole, mixes for a lemon bar dessert, a slushy drink mix, a bottle of local Ashland wine and even a $25 gift certificate at a local butcher shop. (Yes they sell fish and veggies so I can use it!)

I will have fun putting Jack to work using these items.

The team I worked closest with threw a surprise breakfast filled with good food and good wishes. And the most beautiful dahlia plant ever. (Of course, it was all arranged by BFF Eileen and purchased by her as well. How did I ever get so lucky to work with her?!)

Of course, there are stories that go with these two gifts. They are from my right-hand woman/friend/sister/co-worker, Eileen. According to her, I'm leaving some "big shoes to fill". Well, it's a good thing she has big feet!

These are lovely flowers from our awesome principal. She had attached this cool peace scarf to the bouquet.

Lastly, the staff sunshine fund gave gifts to all of us who were leaving this year... and there were a lot of us! I shall have fun spending this gift. And yes, it is already stashed to spend only in France!

Jack caught me pulling out of the driveway for the last day of work.

I tell folks it was a good ride, now I'm turning around and am headed for a great ride!

Flexible Husband

2011-06-14T06:44:00.000-07:00

I am so lucky to have a husband like mine. Last week, (and this week too), have been so darn crazy; I can't even think straight! I feel like I am on a treadmill that will not stop! I'll show you what I mean by a flexible husband....this was dinner one night:

What is Red, White, Orange, Pink, Blue, Purple, Yellow and Green All Over?

2011-06-07T08:22:00.000-07:00

ANSWER: Our Hills!

Our "spring" is so late this year that the wild flowers are just popping out everywhere. They are about 6 weeks later than normal, but nonetheless still exciting to see. Every year, I photograph the wild flowers, as if they are going to be different from one year to the other! The only thing that is different is me.... much, much older and greyer!
Take a peek:

You might be wondering where the "blue" comes in. Actually, the most purple of them all has a silly name: Blue-Dick. Go figure.

I don't care what they are called, I just love seeing them scattered across our property.

I see I caught a bug diving inside the Pussy-Ears.

Enjoy!

The M-M-m-m-Mall

2011-05-31T07:25:00.000-07:00

(For those of you who are old enough, you might remember a show in the early 60's called "Dobie Gillis" and his beatnik friend was Maynard G. Krebs who always stuttered when he said the word "work".)
I feel like Maynard when I have to go to the m-m-m-mall.

I know I've shared my anxiety about shopping with you before but I have to say that I survived three hours of being in the mall yesterday. I visited three stores then I felt the walls coming in on me. Proof that I was there:

I decided I needed a nice black dress that would withstand the ages. Well, at least until the next time I go to the m-m-m-m-mall and that will be another 10 years I am sure.

Anyway, I mentioned to my sister-in-law in southern California that I needed to find a dress. She suggested I look on-line. I think she knew that wouldn't happen so she called me later and directed me to several dresses that Macy's had on-line. I liked all of them that she had chosen! My problem would be that I had no clue what size I wear since Good Will clothes don't always have the sizes still attached!

Anyway, I decided to go to the Macy's store and try on a few to see what size I would need to order. The night before, I laid in bed and visualized a wonderful elderly sales woman who had nothing to do but help me find a dress.

On the way into town, I stopped at Starbuck's and treated myself to a cappuccino with a small pastry treat. Then on to the m-m-m-mall.

The parking lot was almost empty, making me think the stores had not opened yet. I walked right in and the store was eerily empty of people. I had to do a major search to find the women's clothing because since my last visit in 2002, the store had been rearranged. (Go figure!)

I finally found a non-teenager section when a sales lady asked if she could help me. She did not match my vision as she was very young. I showed her the print outs from the computer of three dresses. She looked them up and said they carried one in a size too small for me.

She offered to show me where this style of dress could be found. From there, it was pure joy. She pulled out dresses exactly like I wanted, or thought I wanted. She carried them into the dressing room, and put me across from the 3-way mirror where you can see your back side.

I tried them all on. I needed the largest size of the ones we picked out and in petite. She explained that they fit my waist better and my shoulders, it isn't only about the length.

I told her I didn't like the way the dresses were stylish in the front but then straight down in the back. Showing off the fact that I have no waist and less of a butt that I had even thought! No shape at all from behind....all in the boobs. Dang it.

The next thing I knew, she brought the perfect dress, it draped at the neckline and had style in the front as well as in the back. She was amazing.

The piped in music would have driven me out of the store in 10 minutes flat but her helpfulness and smile made it bearable. I decided to look for some pants that didn't bag and sure enough she found those for me too. I am exactly four sizes bigger on top than on the bottom! Talk about lop-sided!

I decided to chance another store that two co-workers keep telling me about. They had 40% off of everything in the store so I scooped up several tops.

Then over to see if I could get some sheets that were on sale, none left for King size beds so I removed myself from the mall and took myself to lunch.

Then to the grocery store and home.

Thanks all to my sister-in-law who found the right style for me and to the kind sales girl!

Now all I need is a place to wear the dress (haha).

Western Tanager

2011-05-30T05:34:00.000-07:00

This is a great website for bird watchers. We have Western Tanagers here now. The males are beautiful with their breeding colors. I love listening to them singing in the trees. If you follow the link, you can hear their calls and look up birds you see or hear.

The photo was borrowed from the Cornell Orinthology website as well.

I've tried to catch them in my camera lens but I'm not steady enough and they move too quickly for me.