I Love Spring!

It is spring!  I think it’s my fave season – at present, anyway.  I’ll probably change my mind in a week or so, but for now it’s my fave.  Gee, I’m getting into this cyber-talk or whatever you want to call it.  I still can’t tell a ‘short’ story – I love details.  Just ask my kids.  When I tell a story about something they are standing there with their heads shaking, their hands motioning to help me get along with the subject and then there’s that eye-roll thingy that they do.  The Marine is especially bad at that – he’s use to the hurry, hurry, hurry life of the Marine Corps.  I called the base for him, knowing that he should answer the phone, but I was soooooo confused when someone at the other end said, “hellosgth======speakingcanIhelpyou?”  Now you have to imagine this being said at an extremely fast pace, I mean extremely fast. There was no punctuation in there at all, just “hellosgth======speakingcanihelpyou?”   All I could say was, “huh? who is this?”  From the other end I heard, “Mom, it’s me.”  “Oh, OK, I couldn’t understand you.  Could you please speak a little slower?”   I found out later that they all speak like that – I guess it’s a Marine thang!

OK, back to the story.  See, I told you I couldn’t tell a short story.  I’ll be off track again before the end of this post.  I’ll try to control myself, so stick with me and if I begin talking like a Marine just slow me down. 

Oh, yea, I love spring, it’s my favorite fave season of the year.  Tully and I took a fast walk around the yard yesterday and I snapped a couple of photos of some the new flowers that are out.  My daffodils and tulips, except for a couple in the front yard are all spent, caput, finished, dead,  but, the lilacs are blooming and they smell sooo wonderful. 

Oh, yea, another thing about spring is that my “adopted ladies” are laying their beautiful brown eggs again and so are those cute little gals with the hairy legs – oh, that sounds nasty.   They are cute, hairy legs and all and they lay the cutest little white eggs you ever saw.  Takes about three of them to make a good large egg.  Mrs. Carpenter just ordered some new baby chicks and I can’t wait for them to come.  She also got a new rooster.  Boy, is he ever a good cockadodoodler.  That fellow starts about 5:30 in the morning and he doesn’t run down all day.  I know what his problem is.  She has him in a pen all by himself.  What respectable rooster wants to be shut up in a pen all by himself when there’s a dozen or so big fluffy nice hens running around outside.  Poor guy.  Maybe next week when she turns  him loose with the “ladies” he won’t want to crow so much or so early or so late in the evening.  I’m going over and have a talk with those “ladies” and get them all riled up – I know, I’ll read that article to them that was the new Redbook magazine.  Well, maybe I’d better not read that to them, I really don’t know how they would react to it.  Those of you that get Redbook, know what article I’m talking about.  “Let me tell you ’bout the birds and bees and the flowers and the trees and the moon up above….and this thang called love”.  You’d much rather read those words than to hear me sing them to you.  If you really want to hear me sing it, just give me a call.  OK, I’m off subject again.  I have a feeling that I just spiked the sales of Redbook for this month – wonder if they will give me a cut of the sales?  The Marine is rolling his eyes (he would be if he were here/heaven help me if he reads this) and the other kid is ignoring me.  He does that when I get this way.  I think this is a story I will have to keep you informed of, so stay tuned.  I’m talking about the chickens and the rooster, not the kids.  Gee, the Pioneer Woman has her “High Heels and Tractor Wheels” saga and I have a saga about the rooster next door dreaming about the day he gets turned loose with all those fluffy hens.  They’re all fluffy but one.  Tully decided he would “play” with her a couple of weeks ago, she’s fine, just minus a few feathers.

Back to the subject….oh, yea, spring.  I’d better post a few pictures of some of the things that I get excited about now that it’s spring.  Enjoy.

Aren’t those just beautiful?  Those gals do a great job.

Oh, I’ve got to go and cut some of these to bring into the house.  Gosh, I wish you had a scratch-n-sniff computer screen.

This is a bud on the quince tree.  Soon it will turn into………

……..this.  Isn’t that pretty?  The honey bees just love’em.

Well, that’s all for today.  I’m going to make some notes for my “birds & bees” talk with the “ladies” next door.

See you all later – Sharon

Sunday Stills – Hands

I didn’t read the challenge until yesterday and thought I was going to have to go outside and take some quick snaps of the husband and the Carpenters next door while they were working in the yard and garden.  As I prepared my camera for the task I decided to take a look back through the photos that I had taken a couple of weeks ago while visiting our new family member.  What I discovered were hands…tiny little hands, the hands of a new Daddy, hands of a new Grandma and Grandpa and the loving hands of a new Great-Grandma.  

Their first encounter – Great-grandma and baby Kash.

Hands of love – Grandpa taking his turn with the help of great-Gma.

In his Daddy’s hands – big safe hands.

There’s nothing like a Grandma’s touch, especially the touch of a new Grandma.

Then…the touch of the hands of a sweet little friend coming to visit the first time…..

The one set of hands that I didn’t have a photo of were the hands of Momma A….hands of a wife, nurse, wonderful cook and most of all a great new Mom.

I can’t wait to watch these little hands grow and discover the world around him…..

To see other “hands” check out:  http://sundaystills.wordpress.com/

Have a great day – Sharon

Sunday Stills – Easter

Easter this year will be spent with my hubby, one of our sons – our other son is riding his new toy in the sand and dirt in Arizona – my Mom and my Aunt.  My Sunday Still is of a little bunny flower pot holding a beautiful daffodil from my kitchen garden.  Have a happy Easter everyone.

Macro Monday

My first signs of spring.  I always wait for these little crocuses to pop their colorful heads from the ground.

HAPPY SPRING!

Sunday Stills – the color Orange

I’ve decided to use some of my archive photos for today’s post.  When looking back through my files I found quite a few with the color orange and thought I’d share some of them with you.

The first three photos are of sunrises from our front yard.  I know, some of you are saying we had ‘sunrise/sunset’ photos last week, but they were supposed to be current photos and mine are all from my archives. 

Sorry about all the powers lines and the cell tower, but this is what I have to look at.  Where would we be without them?This was taken from under the dogwood tree – actually I was trying to hide from all the traffic driving by because I was in my pjs.This is taken from my kitchen porch.  I love the silhouettes of Mr. & Mrs. Carpenter’s house, the flag pole and check out the moon in the upper right hand corner.This is my private stash of bittersweet.  I’m not telling anyone where I found it.This is one of my favorite day lilies – Primal Scream.  It’s a bright orange and has a bloom of about 9 inches.  Beautiful!A macro shot of the center of one of my irises.

I love this photo.  This is a photo of my niece’s wedding bouquet.  Look at those colors!  They are as bright and bubbly as she is.  Actually she wasn’t my niece until after she carried this bouquet.  Happy Anniversary Brice and Anna – I’m a few days late!

To enjoy more “orange” photos, go to:  http://sundaystills.wordpress.com/

Have a great day – Sharon

Sunday Stills – Fruit

I’m taking Ed up on his offer to use our archives.  I posted this photo quite sometime ago, “New Beginnings”.  This is a photo that I took at Dan’s auction back in the spring of ’09.  Since then I’ve discovered that things can be adjusted.  I still like to use photos straight out of the camera when I can, but it’s fun at times to see all the different ways you can change your photos.  Here are few of the edits to the original photo.  Enjoy!

If you would like to checkout more ‘fruit photos’ go to:  http://sundaystills.wordpress.com/

Enjoy the last day of the olympics – go USA!!

Sharon – TheEggGather

Snow….continued and continued – Yuck!

I warned you that this would be continued, but this is ridiculous!  The snow began again about 6 am Monday morning and now it’s Tuesday morning still snowing.  We’ve had a few breaks but they say we will probably get another inch or two before it’s all over.   Yesterday we were getting 1 – 2 inches per hour at times.  We’ve gotten somewhere between 8 to 9 inches so far and that’s on top of the 12 we already had.  The Pressman had to wait for BAH (sounds like a lamb, doesn’t it-no way)to get off work yesterday evening because his little car doesn’t like the snow and neither does he.  He (BAH) was use to hopping on a bus or the subway – around here you might hitch a ride on a  cattle truck or semi – but none of those conveniences around here, just 4x4s and lots of prayers.  BTW – I have to get this off my chest – PEOPLE, please clean off your headlights, tail lights, turn them on and for heaven’s sake, give turn signals!!!   ARGH!  It’s not all that easy to stop in this stuff!  Now, I’m back to my calm and collected self.  Anyway, I had the pleasure of taking the Pressman to work this morning so that I can come home and take BAH to work this afternoon and probably pick him up sometime tonight.  I thought I had gotten rid of the job of running my kids around a long, long time ago.  I think I will call the airline and see if they have any flights to southern California – Marine, I want some of that sun you are enjoying right now.  I guess I can dream but now it’s back to reality.  The driveway is drifted in, the roads are drifted over and it’s blowing around like crazy out there.  Tully enjoys it.  He goes out and hops from snowdrift to snowdrift, does some art work in yellow and brown on them and comes in with ice balls frozen everywhere, shakes it off all over the kitchen floor and finds a quilt and makes a nest.  He’s so spoiled – just like the rest of them around here.  OK, I’ve vented enough.  In a couple of weeks I’ll be complaining about all the mud from the melted snow – I think I’ll stay in Cali for a while.  I can dream, can’t I?  Before I get too depressed I’d better post some photos.

This was the view from my kitchen window on Super Bowl Sunday.  The sun was finally shining!  Remember, I told I was a fair-weather photographer – I took this through the window in the kitchen.  If you look close you can probably see the water spots – Ha!Ha!  This was after the first round of snow on the 6th of February.  See that driveway – I didn’t think so.  We didn’t leave the house all weekend!

This was the ending to the second snow storm of the month.  Look at the size of those snowflakes.  They were beautiful.  Tully and I went for a walk and I was going to take pictures, but my battery was dead, so this is all I have to show.  This was on the 9th.

This little guy was sitting in the maple tree in the backyard the other day between storms.  Looks like a meadowlark, but I didn’t know they had that bright of color this time of year.  He hung around for a long while and I’ve seen him several times since.  Mrs. Carpenter said she had seen him around too.Tully loves playing in the snow.  Today is was over his back in places but that didn’t keep him from rooting around hunting for a mouse or two.As you can see, the sun didn’t shine and the wind began to blow, so it was time to head in for a cup of hot coffee and a nice cozy quilt.

On Friday morning we woke up to fog – fog?  It’s very cold outside.  I’m talking single digits and we have fog.  As daylight began I looked out to find the most beautiful sight I had seen in a while.  We had what is called hoar-frost on everything.  The tree branches glistened in the sunshine and it sparkled like diamonds across the front lawn or what use to be our lawn.  It was now a blanket of sparkling white diamonds.  Who could have guessed that an old green clothesline could be so pretty……….or the Rose of Sharon that I threatened to cut down last fall, but didn’t get around to it.  Look at that blue sky.  The sun was shining for the first time in a very looooooonnng time!  This is my Adam’s County rose.  Can’t wait for it to bloom this summer.  I can smell it already.  Spring…spring, where art thou?  OK, Chicken Sitter get back to reality, snap out of it.  It’s 24 degrees outside, the snow is drifted across the driveway and???? there goes a horse and buggy trotting  down the road?  Brrrrrrr!   That’s another story for another time.   The weather forecast for the weekend says – you guessed it – snow again on Sunday night, Monday and Tuesday.  Sunday night – nothing.  Monday morning – it’s here again.  Three, 3, three snow storms in 10 days. Another shot from the kitchen window.  The only thing out there is one snow plow that went by a few hours earlier and that nasty European blackbird, that I wish would go back to Europe and the snow.  That is Douglas Pond in the distance.  It’s much prettier on a sunny day, when you can see more that 100 feet in front of you. Looks a little windy out there, don’t ya think?  This was pretty much the story the rest of the day.  Now it’s just snow and blow.This is the base to my bird bath.  It’s about 30″ high and it is about 2/3 covered.  Yes, my bird bath base is still sitting outside and as you will see in the next pictures my greenery is still on my window box ledges.  They have been so pretty through the snow storms and besides, it looks so naked after you take them down.  Let’s face it, I think it’s going to be awhile before spring pokes it’s head out from under this snow.  Then comes the, oh, I hate to say this…..mud.  Please, can we just go from snow to green grass, I’d much rather mow than clean up m…u…d.  I have a hard time getting that word out.  Oh, no!  The weather is on – did I hear him say, “don’t kill the messenger”.  Did I hear him right?  Snow chances are very good for Sunday and then again on Tuesday.  They will give more information on the evening news.  I’m going to get on the couch with Tully and make him share  his quilt.  This is the end to this boring weather saga.

Later and no, I’m not going to chicken coop – it’s too darned cold.  Besides, their Mommy is home now.

Sharon – TheEggGather

Sunday Stills – Valentine’s Day

The creative part was my husband’s.  I just snapped the photo.  This was a valentine that my hubby gave me years and years ago.  Couldn’t get rid of such a work of art and who would know that it would be just the perfect subject for our Sunday Stills challenge.

Happy Valentine’s Day everyone! 

See more special valentines at:  http://SundayStills.wordpress.com/

Snow, Snow & More Ssssnnnnooow!

Well, what else should we expect?  It’s almost the middle of February.  It’s winter!  We’ve had two snow storms here in Southern Ohio in 5 days.  It has taken me a few days to get my head un-snow-logged, but my body is still frozen to the core.    

I’m really looking forward to spring, but for now, it’s still turtlenecks, insulated underwear, wool socks and quilts in every chair and couch in the house.  Oh yes, and the heating pad at the ready.  I’m even thinking of bringing the other one out of the linen closet to use on my feet.  Even spring and summer weather doesn’t warm them up. 

 

In the beginning….God created the heavens and the earth.  OK, that’s another beginning, but He did create the snow also and it began to fall about 5:30 last Friday evening…and it fell and fell and fell……….

…and about an hour and half later, this is what it looked like from my kitchen door.  I’m a fair-weather photographer, especially in the winter.  It continued like this until Saturday afternoon with a few slow times in between.

Sunday morning the sun was shining and it was beautiful but cold.  We thought it was a good day to take a drive around the lake and get Tully out  to have some fun in the snow.

Our first stop was Fisherman’s Wharf.  This is the road down to the wharf at Rocky Fork Lake.  The sun doesn’t shine in this area much because of all the trees and with the snow weighing them down it’s like driving through a tunnel.  At the end the sun was shining bright on the snow-covered lake.

We had stopped at several other places, so Tully was ready to get out and stretch his legs and romp through the snow.  It was almost as deep as he is tall. 

It must have been all the snow and the water, even though it was frozen, but he just couldn’t wait any longer.  Remember, don’t eat the yellow snow.

We made our way to the lake restaurant, to bad they aren’t open any more.  I could have used a cup of coffee or hot chocolate about then.  The geese enjoyed being able to walk across the lake on the frozen water.  There were hundreds of them.  As much as I hate the mess the make of our lake grounds in the summer, they are beautiful.

Our next stop was at the remains of the old McCoppin’s Mill.

We’re off again – to the inlets, that’s what we’ve always called them.  When Beany was little, he and I would go fishing early of a morning almost everyday during the summer and this what we named this area.  On the way to the inlets we pulled over and stopped for a few more photos.  The sky was so bright blue and the sun was just right for this one.  Now we see the geese from the opposite side of the lake.

Next stop – the Rocky Fork Dam, but wait, there’s an old red barn off to one side of the parking lot and it looks so cozy all nestled down in the snow.  Just one more photo before making my way down to the dam.

OK, now, I tuck the camera inside my coat to make sure it doesn’t get snow-covered if I take a tumble, cross my fingers, say a prayer and step very carefully down, down, ooops, a rock ledge, better get over here next to the fence.  Oh, don’t shake it, that would be a great picture with all the snow stuck to the wire.  Easy now, whoops, that was deeper than what I expected.  Oh, no, Tully, I don’t want to play right now, find something to sniff of while I get to safety…..Oh, thank you Lord for getting me down here….Now, are you going to give me a boost back up to the parking lot and the warmth of the truck?

I love going to the dam and taking pictures.  Seeing the water rush over the dam is very energetic and exciting. 

Tully said, “That was dam fun.”  TULLY, watch your language!

 The picture below is a little out of season.  It was take this past fall from the dam while the fall colors were at their brightest.  WOW!  What a difference four months makes.

I hope you enjoyed our short  trip around the lake.  I’ll be posting more photos of our drive on Flickr, so check it out in a couple of days.  Just click the ‘more photos’ on the side of the blog.  When we returned  home it was time to get ready for the Super Bowl.  It was time to fix snacks to munch on during the game.  Take a peak at the earlier post for some photos of the salsas that we had.  Sorry to say, there’s none left!  We also had time to settle in before the next snow storm hit…………to be continued…….

Till the next time,

Sharon – TheEggGather

Sunday Stills – Hot Sauces & Salsa

I’m late, I’m late for a very important date…….here’s my late shots of hot sauce and salsa.  Guess what we are having during the Super Bowl tonight!The fixins’ for mango salsa – minus the lime zest and juice.  No recipe, just the ingredients you see in the photo, all to taste.

Here it is with “all” the ingredients and we’re ready for the game to begin….oh, wait, I’ve got more.

This is the Pioneer Woman’s recipe for restaurant style salsa – mmmmmmmmm!  I added a few shots of Cholula hot sauce.

Now, it’s time for the party to begin.  Check out more ‘hot sauce & salsa’ photos at:  http://sundaystills.wordpress.com/

Since the Bengals didn’t make it to the ‘big game’  I have to cheer for our neighbors and my brother’s favorites – GO COLTS!!

Sunday Stills – Moods & Emotions

This week’s challenge is to create moods and emotions in the viewer, not the moods or emotions  of the author of this blog.

Check out all the “moods & emotions” at Sunday Stills:

http://sundaystills.wordpress.com

Thanks for stopping by.

Sharon – the egg gather

18 Days

I can’t believe that 18 days could go by so quickly!  I am appreciative that it was 18 days and not the 12 that was originally planned.  It gave us more time to visit and be with family and friends.  We had a quiet Christmas day at home – see the earlier post about UPDATE…… – had New Years’s Eve with my Aunt and Cousins, had another Christmas celebration with my Brother and family the following weekend, and then dinner here and there with family members and friends.  Finally, this past weekend we invited them all back to our house for an open house on Sunday afternoon and evening.  It was a whirlwind, but lots of fun.  As you can imagine, there was plenty of food everywhere we went.  B kept saying that he had PFTs in a couple weeks after returning his home and that he needed to not eat so much “stuff”.  I have a feeling that he will be working all those calories off during the next few days trying to get ready for his next trip.  It’s moving time again for him and he’s trying to get everything packed up and in storage.  While he was home he managed to get in some deer hunting, we had a few card games and of course some partying with his friends.  Couldn’t leave that out!  

Well, as promised to Dibear, here are some photos of our visit:

  Our family.

Here’s Grandma checking out B’s tats.  Actually, this one is in memory of my Dad.  It’s a celtic cross – the Murphy cross – with his name above it.

Here he is doing what kids do best – playing.  I think he’s out-numbered!

Buddies 4 life!  This is one of the kids that was next door to us.  They have all been friends since they were born.  It’s great to have wonderful neighbors and friends!  

B returned to the west coast this past Tuesday.  When we arrived at the airport we dropped him off so he could pick up his ticket and boarding pass while we parked the truck.  When we entered the airport he told us they needed our IDs so they could issue security passes for us to go with him to the gate and wait for his plane.  That was so nice to get to spend that extra time with him.  Thanks to the airline officials for their coöperation during these times.  To us as the families, every hour is precious.  Then it was time to say ‘so-long’ and ‘hurry home to us again’.  We waited in the corridor until the plane pulled out of sight.  It was a long walk back to the parking garage with a few stops and looks back over our shoulders on the way.  When you say your prayers, please say an extra one for our military guys and gals that keep us free and safe.  As for now, it’s hurry up and wait until the final orders are given.  Tully and I are going for a walk and maybe check on the neighbors chickens and think and pray.

Til the next time – Sharon – the egg gather

Sunday Stills – Best of ’09

Here are my favorites from the 2009 challenges.  My first is of my Grandpa Brown’s tobacco barn.  It may not be the best of composition but it brings back a lot of memories to me and the fact that it is not longer standing – they tore it down shortly after the pictures were taken.

 My second choice is a macro shot of one of my favorite day lilies – Agnes Schumate.

Hope you enjoy these and please checkout all the favorites of 2009 at:  http://sundaystills.wordpress.com

New Year Update

OK, this is all words, no pictures, just words.  Here’s what’s going on in our lives since the last time I posted.  I’ll begin with December 24, got to airport to pick up Marine son at 8:02 pm, no plane till 9:40 pm, then 10 pm then back to 9:40 – walked to the other terminal where they have Starbucks, yes,he actually got there at 9:30.  Waited on luggage…………. finally, walked to the truck and headed home.  Planning on other son being there so we could catch up on news, but he called at 12:20 am (it’s Christmas by now, Santa was to be here and we were still up, what to do?) and said the computers were down at work and didn’t know when he would be home.  He arrived at 2:20 am, we were in bed.  Don’t ask me is Santa had been here yet, all I know is that when I got up later the cookies were gone, the milk glass was half empty and the bottle of Bailey’s Irish Creme was on the table with the lid off.  He must have had a rough night too.  All those crazy people still up roaming around at that time of the morning disrupting his deliveries!    YEAH, it’s Christmas morning, again, had a very quiet relaxing day.  Since then it’s been a dead run.  Trying to get family together to visit before Marine son had to return to his sunny home – I emphasize sunny – it’s snowed and the sun hasn’t shined, shone or whatever the word is since he’s been here – BUT, we’ve had fun.  He’s caught up with a lot of his friends and family has stopped by to visit.  Thought he was leaving for the sunny place  this past Thursday, but low and behold, on Monday night he found out he could stay awhile longer.  Call the airline, call the big guy on base and change plans.  He’s still here, snoozing away as I write this, yeah!!  We called all the family and friends that we’d invited in for a get-together on Wednesday night and changed it to Sunday afternoon.  Dear Lord, I’m getting to old for all this running and changing of minds – BUT, we’re having fun.  Speaking of running, I don’t run anymore, and the mind thing, I don’t think I have one or if I do, it’s very slow and lagging.  It’s been a wonderful visit with him and everyone else that we’ve seen.  This morning I’m off to the chiropractor to get an adjustment and massage, ahhhh, I can hardly wait.  Then off to the historical society to help and then off to his friend’s house for supper and some cards tonight.  Tomorrow we’ll prepare for the folks all coming in on Sunday and then early next week we’ll be heading for the airport again.  This time it will not be as anticipated as the last trip there.  It will be a long time until we see him again and the 2000 plus miles that separate us now will seem like a short distance compared to where he will be for the next several months, BUT we’ve had fun!  If you read this and are in our neck of the woods on Sunday, stop by, but be sure to where your longjohns(I could go for a longjohn from White’s bakery right now, mmmmm. In case you’re wondering, they are long, cream filled doughnuts with icing on top) and mittens, it’s cold here, BUT we’re going to have fun!  I’ll have pictures next week so stop back by then and remember to say a prayer for our military, both here in the United States and around the world.  God bless them all.  Until next time, I don’t have any eggs to gather, but I have some to crack and bake with(more pounds on the butt), I think it will pound cake this weekend, that’s his fav.  WE’RE HAVING FUN!

I’m off to crack some eggs and bake – Sharon

Sunday Stills – Odds & Ends

Gosh, it’s been a long time since I’ve done a Sunday Still, but when I saw the theme for this week I had to post.  I have many, many ODDS in my archives, so this could be a very looooong post.  No, I’m just kidding, I’ve pared it down to just a few – hope your enjoy.

This is some of the snow that we had earlier in the week.

My first seed catalog  for the coming year’s gardens.

A bobber caught on an electric wire.

The flying pig statue at the Greater Cincinnati Airport.  I think he/she’s really cute.

OK, the last three pictures are of a knot on the side of a tree.  Doesn’t take much to catch my attention.

A bolt on an old farm wagon and my wine cork collection. 

That’s my odds and ends for the year of 2009.

Hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas, are enjoying their families and will have the best new year ever.

Check out the other Odds & Ends at: http://sundaystills.wordpress.com

Hello, HELLO, tap-tap-tap, anybody out there?

Hi Folks!  Well, I’m still around – I think.  I hope I have all of my computer/blog problems worked out.  I wish I could say that about me – I’m sitting here in front of the puter with a cup of hot ginger tea, a bottle of Robotussin, a roll of toilet paper(it’s easier to carry around than a box of tissue), a giant economy size can of Lysol spray, the heating pad on the floor under my feet and a quilt around my shoulders.  Do you feel sorry for yet?  Oh, and by the way, it’s snowing outside.  I’ve fought with the blog site for 2 weeks now and was just about to give up and start working on a new one at another site, but I think I have things worked out now.  We’ll see when I begin to post pictures.  OK, the pity party is over.

A couple weeks ago I took a walk around the yard and snapped some pictures of a few of the last lingering flowers that were still hanging on.  This is my 4th of July rose with a few rain drops on it.

I wish I could keep it all winter long – look at all those rosehips.  I may have to use them for winter decorations around the house.

A few lonely mums remain in the barrel on the kitchen porch.  Actually, this was their second blooming of the fall.

A lonely pear, it has a small blemish, but that’s ok, none of us are perfect.  The squirrel, yellow jackets and the chickens have enjoyed them this year.  We had a very good crop and probably won’t have another for a couple of years.  They tasted best straight from the tree.

It’s still not cold enough to stop the moles from working in the yard.  We found piles of dirt here and there as we strolled around.  We also discovered a few other “piles” – you know, dogs, chickens, deer, racoon, possum, and whatever else decides to romp through the yard.  I think we have a big “ANIMAL TOILET” sign somewhere on our property, I just haven’ found it yet.  When I do, I’m going to point it in another direction.

A few other discoveries while on our outing was Miss Priss and her entourage of followers.  They still come to visit us even though Mr. & Mrs. Carpenter are home.  We don’t mind.  They have made a nest in our barn in the bales of straw and leave us an egg or two ever so often.  I had to call Mrs. Carpenter a few weeks ago to let her know that they weren’t laying less, just laying them in my barn – you know, finders keepers……..,mmmmmmm fresh eggs – I’ll be back in a bit, going to the barn and open the door so they can get in. 

Our next stop was to see the hydrangea – oak leaf – is my favorite because of the beautiful color they give you in the fall months.  They still have the dried creamy bloom from summer and then the red, russets and greens of fall. 

 By the time we made our rounds it was time to go inside for a cup of hot tea.  Tully’s toes were getting cold and my fingers were more than cold.  Inside we settled into our favorite chair to cuddle and get warm.  The Christmas Cactus was just beginning to bloom.  This poor little potted plant was a cheapy from the ‘after Christmas sales’ last year.  I hate to tell you this, but it’s in the same little cramped pot that I bought it in.  It got neglected a lot during the past year but it’s very forgiving.  I bought a pretty new pot to plant it in, but instead I just sat the cheapo plastic pot inside.  Here’s what it looked like the last week of November and again just a day ago.  This is the only houseplant that I’ve ever been able to keep a whole year.  I’m either improving or I’ve found the miracle plant.  I’d say it was the latter!

I’m heading for the barn to see if the hens left me any eggs for lunch.

Later, the egg gatherer

Sharon

A Look Back at Our Colorful Fall

Hi, All! I’ve been away far too long. Ive been working on a project for the local historical society but now I’m back home most of the time and ready to do some writing and picture takin’.

D and I took a drive a few weeks ago and saw some beautiful fall colors. Actually, we drove around Rocky Fork Lake which is in our front door. The sun was shining, the sky was a brilliant blue and the colors were absolutely gorgeous. We gathered acorns, those that were left after the local squirrels had taken their share for their winter stash, watched ducks and geese float lazily by on the lake and looked over the dam as the water plummeted to the bottom near the old McCoppin Mill. We also found some black walnuts to gather and hull. Later we will crack them and make my Grandma Brown’s tasty black walnut cookies. MMmmmmmmm! I can hardly wait. Another surprise that we wondered upon was a nice stand of bittersweet. Lucky for me that D had his pocket knife with him and we gathered the orange berries to use for fall decorations.

Fall is my favorite time of year. The hot, humid summer days are past, it’s time to put the garden and flower beds to rest for the winter and the colors of the autumn leaves are so invigorating.

The colorful leaves have now fallen to the ground and just this past weekend D mulched the last of them, making them ready to turn into wonderful black compost for next year’s garden and flower beds. The cattails lining the edge of Douglas Pond cast a rusty-red glow on the water and contrast wonderfully with the reflection of the tall white sycamores at the edge of the woods.

The next drive that we take will probably be to see the snow falling on the edges of the frozen lake, but until then I’ll share these pictures of our day with you. Enjoy!

 

 

Until next time…

I’m heading to the chicken coop

Sharon – the egg gatherer

 

9-11

 

Nine years ago we didn’t think of September 11 as being any different than any other day of the month.  Eight years ago it was totally set apart from any other day of the year or our entire lifetime.  Today the sky is blue and the sun is shining just as it was in 2001.  The same news show is on my tv, but my heart is totally changed.  I have always believed that we live in the best country in the world.  I am so sorry that there are people in this world that feel that they need to strike us down because of that.  My heart goes out to those that lost their lives on that fateful morning and to their families.  My heart also goes out to the families that have lost their loved ones to the war on terrorism in the years since and unfortunately to those in the future.  

It is 8:46 am and the bells just toled and there was a moment of silence, my eyes are filled with tears and my heart is heavy, but I still believe with all my heart that it will take a whole lot more than what they did to us on that day to tear us down.  I believe now and I will continue to believe for as long as my heart beats that we are and will continue to be the ” ‘UNITED’ States of America”.     GOD BLESS AMERICA!

SUNDAY STILLS – RULE OF THIRDS

OK, I’m not an educated photographer  – I usually point and click.  If I like it I keep it and if not, it’s gone. 

Here’s my efforts for this “challenge”.

 

 

There were more, but my computer has taken on a mind of it’s own, so I’m off the get the hammer.

SUNDAY STILLS-SOUNDS

Listen!

This was taken on our way home after the races.  The momma is saying to her babies (the other one was camera shy), “Listen, that is the sound of a truck motor and the voices of humans.  When you hear either, RUN!”

This was a fun challenge.  It came at the perfect time for me, since we did have the “Thunder in the Hills”  boat races just a couple miles from our home.  This is an annual race that is held at Rocky Fork Lake and is a great weekend for the folks around here and those for miles around.  The weather is just wonderful, low 80s and high 70s for the two days.  WOW, can’t get much better than that.  Thanks Ed for this weeks challenge.  Check out the other photos of “sound” at Sunday Stills.