Hodgepodge.....

Aha! What season do you suppose this little plant reminds me of? Yuppers....I just love it when those little holly berries suddenly turn from green to their pretty red color! Yes, the temps are getting cooler at night and in the morning here in the Bristolwood.....

I took the thermometer picture several hours after getting up this morning. Things really are chilling down in the Bristolwood, and I am enjoying the change. Our leaves are still green...we live in a woods made up mainly of hardwoods, so our leaves stubbornly hold out, refusing to change their garb until the frosts come and rob the trees!

A couple of nights ago, we took a ride to a mall that has a special store that sells all kinds of antiques, as well as reproductions of antiques. I picked up three little goodies to add to my tiny Scottie collection. I got a little Boyd glass "box", the little Scottie that looks so much like Jock from Lady and the Tramp, and a comical little Scottie from Department 56. I was told the artist that did the Dept. 56 Scottie lives not too far away from us. I just fell in love with that whimsical little Scottie, dressed in green with the large ruffle about her neck!

I began grooming little Murphy last night. He is so nervous about the clippers, so I end up trimming so much around he ear with blunt-tipped scissors. I decided after taking the fellow out for his morning "constitution", I was going to complete his haircut!!! I had cut his eyebrows last week, but I cut them WAY too short! Ah well, they will grow back quickly.

Late this afternoon, we decided to take a drive to an outlet mall not too far away. We did some serious shopping...I actually bought a couple pair of jeans, anticipating the purchase of an ATV later in September. (I have been anxiously awaiting the unveiling of the 2007 models. ) As we were shopping, the sun began to set and I so wanted to photograph it. We rushed to the truck, and Mark drove away from the shopping mecca so we could take pictures without all of the buildings in the foreground. The perfect ending to a day.....

Murphy's New Nightshirt

As I posted last night, Murphy has a new little nightshirt! I must say that Michelle didn't spend a whole lot of time on this garment, as I think perhaps she knew Murphy wasn't going to be too excited about it....

Upon completion, Michelle raced into the room, proudly holding up her newly formed masterpiece! Now, I will admit, I was impressed, as she had no pattern. Michelle has always been very creative, however, and all of her young life, she has never failed to impress me with creativity.

So, was **Murphy** impressed? You be the judge.......

Yup, as soon as the little shirt was on, Murphy hid his big face! He immediately THREW himself on the pillow, striking a most "I am SO depressed" pose. Not even the mention of a "cookie" would get his attention. Poor little forlorn Scottie Dog!

Somehow, I finally was able to coax the little pup to sit up to model his new duds. Again, I ask, does THIS look like a happy little Scottie Dog to YOU? Alas, I took great pity upon my little laddie and removed the offending garment. And, did I get a big "Thank You!"?

I don't think so! Instead, I am convinced he is lying there thinking about HOW to get out of EVER wearing that cute little nightshirt....EVER again!!!!

Watching Summer Come to a Close....

I remember telling my mother several years ago, that the trees and greenery all seem to attempt one last "hurrah" during the closing weeks of August. It appeared to me that all the greens were making a courageous effort to try to avert the changing of the colors that were inevitable. My mom said she never really noticed....I still stand by my theory. It seems like colors are so very intense during these fence-sitting days. Not much summer left, but autumn has not made its entrance, either. Perhaps it is just the fact that the sun is again lowering in the southern sky, casting that beautiful golden hue on all that happens to cross its path.



There is nothing like sleeping with the windows open this time of the year. The air seems almost intoxicating, and the cooler temps bring on a more restful slumber. I love the cricket choruses arising from down the hill, and the tree frogs joining in is so cool. Ah yes, I am anxious to say adieu to the heat and humidity. My only desire is that the autumnal colors would linger far longer than they do!



Today, Michelle decided she wanted to sew something. I am greatly ashamed that I have never taken the time to teach her the basics in sewing. However, I was startlingly amazed at her skill in reading through the pattern! She was given a fairly simple pattern, along with some fabric to make a nightshirt. I gave her (very) basic instruction about making sure that the top of each piece was oriented in the same direction. What followed pleased me and made me happy to know that Michelle is capable of reading directions and following them without interpretation!
Perhaps the fact that she has spent many hours with the computer, doing schoolwork, has paid off...The fact that she is able to work alone and is motivated to complete her project is satisfying!

OK....yes, there are Scotties on the fabric. And, NO, I did NOT purchase it!!! Carly, are you there??? Oh, and one brag? The sleeves on the nightshirt were plain and hung down straight. They were quite large. I told Michelle I could show her later how to form a casing so she could insert elastic in the sleeves, forming a "bell-shaped" sleeve. Well, as I was preparing dinner, didn't she take it upon herself to make the casings and create her own version of my suggestion?

Shortly after completing her first garment, Michelle went on to make the puppy a wee little nightshirt. It was so funny, and I was quite impressed to see that she even cut out little facings for around the neck! She is so much fun! Don't tell Murphy that, though....he "froze" when the nightshirt was lovingly placed on his little body. He just rolled his eyes as though going along with the nonsense, but not really *liking* it!

Today was a very slow-paced Monday, and for that, I am grateful! Every now and then, we all need a little break!

One of the surest signs of the autumn coming are the mums. They are beginning to bloom in shades of rust, orange, and dark red. I love their colors...they look so pretty when the leaves begin to fall and they blend in with their surroundings. I bought an aster when we went to the market on Saturday. It is planted and I hope it does well. I was so disappointed that the ones I had planted two years ago never came back up again, but as I planted the new addition, I noticed that there WAS a scraggly little aster plant coming up! Funny, it wasn't there last year!(guess it was sleeping!)

So, Here Are the Pics From Today...

I figured if I waited a bit, then tried to post these, Blogger would FINALLY let me post them. And, yes, they did! Here is a picture of one of the ponds hidden in the woods on the trails we explored earlier today.

Here is another view. Mark was really encouraged when he saw these, because he can ride his ATV on the paths, being able to go around the ponds. He so misses being able to hike and explore new areas. It is kind of weird how we don't really notice how hard it is for disabled people to enjoy new things unless we know or live with a person who is disabled and they convey this to us...Mark is always looking at inventions other disabled people have crafted. In a world where we take walking for granted, when one loses the ability to walk, it really causes a great deal of stress. For the first three or four years after Mark suffered a spinal cord injury, he never went inside a store. He was just so bummed at the thought of using a wheelchair to get around. Life was tough....Now, he uses the chair. but oftimes feels very uncomfortable using it. The ATV gives him a new freedom that causes him to be on equal ground with "walking" folks. The bad news is that most people think of half-crazed kids doing donuts and driving like madmen on ATV's. Because this is the general concensus, folks like Mark suffer....he would love it if he could get a special permit to be able to drive the ATV on the small roads nearby. He longs to ride next to the kids as they ride their mountain bikes. No way. In most states in the US, ATV's are equated to trouble, or troublemakers. How sad...if we lived in the city, Mark could drive a handicap "scooter" on the sidewalk. Being handicapped is such a double whammy....so much insult in the form of injustice is added to the injury suffered.....

On a happier note, here are some pretty flowers I found growing near the pond.

Covered Lots of Miles Today!

Today was a rather busy day, and we seemed to relax and enjoy!

The kids usually sleep in on Saturday morning, but since they called it a night early last night, I thought I would get them up early and take them to McDonald's for breakfast. Ben loves the Big Breakfast, and it is a treat for him. So, we went out the door and off. After McDonald's we stopped by Tim Horton's for a bagel for Michelle and me.

The family was invited to a birthday party for Michelle's friend (our neighbor) this afternoon and into the evening. So, after breakfast, I wanted to take a run to a big farmer's market several miles away. It is a big market, featuring many goods made by Mennonites and Amish. I haven't been in quite some time. I had a good time walking around and seeing all the goodies. I only bought a tote made with the "faithful companion" print, featuring a Scottie on it.

On the way home, I stopped at a small farm stand and bought a seedless watermelon, a head of cabbage, and a quart of roma tomatoes. I intend to try to make Mark some good sauce for pasta with the maters! (hi Becky!!!) Oh, I am going to add some from my plant, too!

After the market, we headed back to take the kids to the party. The neighbors were graciously understanding when I explained that I had been having some problems with breathing and said the kids would be fine. left their without us...Their son was looking forward to playing with Ben, so that was cool! Mark and I dropped the kids off, and decided to try another one of those great state trails set aside for the handicapped.....

We decided to check out some roads that were located in the higher land. We entered, following one trail that was about 1 1/2 miles. It was very nice, but there wasn't a whole lot to see. Then, we went on another trail that was fabulous. We spent about 2 hours driving on roads through the woods. It was so pretty, and we came upon a couple of beautiful ponds and marshes. I had some pictures, but Blogger is being a BEAR tonight! Anyway, this land was cool, and there are lean-to's located in the woods...one must get a "camping permit" to sleep overnight in these. I guess I would be a real chicken doing that, but the concept is cool. I think I would need at least a "cabin" to spend the night where I know there are foxes, coyotes, bears, and other things that go "bump" in the night!!!!

After our expedition, Mark and I decided to have a quiet little dinner, so we went off and ate. After this, it was nearly 8pm, so we decided to head out to grab the kids. The neighbors had the party at their lake home, which isn't too far away. Needless to say, the kids had a ball! They love parties, and this one was so much fun! It is just so hard to think that our kids were so little just "yesterday". Time sure flies....

We got home well after dark, and it was a rather full day! Many end-of-summer memories, and just a fun day all the way around! I actually feel much better...not sure if being out of the house all day made me feel better or not, but it sure was nice!

Good Grief!

I nearly forgot to post a picture of my lovely new Scottie quilt! This isn't the greatest picture, as it is so hard to get a picture of the bed. The wall at the end of the bed has a steep slope, so tis a bit tough. The big pillow behind the little Scottie shaped pillow was hand-crafted for me by a soap-maker. We had a gift exchange one May, and my person made a custom pillow with an embroidered Scottie on it! The little Scottie pillow is one Ben won in one of those "claw"

machines. He had walked into a grocery store, and spotted the Scottie....he just HAD to win it for Mom...he spent $2.00, but walked out grinning from ear to ear as he handed it to me!

This its the time of the year when the days begin to come to an end earlier and earlier...I treasure these shorter days when I can go to my little "refuge" and just enjoy the glow of a pretty candle lighting the room.

And so, from my little refuge to yours, have a good evening!

Buzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.........

I had a little fun this morning, playing with the camera, taking some more bee pictures! The camera that I am using is an Olympus C-5050. I have had this camera for nearly 3 years, but am just now beginning to figure our all the bells and whistles. It is a rather complex little bugger, and later this afternoon, Mark and I were playing with it, and Mark found some really cool features. He had read through part of the manual, so he knows a lot more than I do!

On my way down the porch to take the bee pics, I passed my hanging Fuschia plant. The way the sun was shining on it, the plant looked almost fluorescent!

Well, it is *almost" Friday...hurrah! This week seems to have flown by. Seems like that happens a lot this time of the year!

Another Day...

With nothing exciting to talk about! Oh, wait, I did receive my new Scottie Dog quilt from Dillard's today! What is so exciting about that (other than the fact that it has Scotties on it!) is that there isn't a Dillard's anywhere near here! Someone on one of the Scottie lists alerted everyone about these quilts, but the online store was out of them. It stated to "contact your local Dillard's". When I put in my zip, it said there was NO Dillard's. I got wise and used a "western" zip code, and it came up with several store listings. So, last Friday I called seven different stores, all saying they either had no bedding, or the quilts were sold out. Finally, on store number eight, I got lucky! The woman said they were actually in the kid's department. I patiently awaited her return to the phone, and when she did, she said they had a full/queen size as well as a twin size. I told her I would take BOTH! To make this long story short, the quilts both arrived today...WOW, that was fast!!! I will take pictures in the daylight tomorrow and show off my new quilt! (the twin size one will be used as a "throw")

This morning, when I opened my eyes, they fell upon a pretty little flower arrangement in my new Royal Albert Country Rose vase.


I love flowers, especially where I can see and appreciate them. This is a simple arrangement of just carnations and baby's breath. But I love the color of these carnations. Speaking of flowers, I bought a bunch of autumn colored flowers for my father-in-law's grave. I had made a "patriotic" arrangement in May for Memorial Day, but wanted something new. Mark said he thinks they only allow flowers until the early fall, so he told me perhaps I should just keep them. I had spent quite a bit for the May arrangement, buying them at a craft store. This time, while in the local Dollar Tree with the kids, I really loved the autumn colors. I bought five different "bush" type flowers and intermingled them. The result was pretty, and to top it off, the Dollar Tree even had a wired ribbon that matched!

This afternoon, I did take one really cool picture. Still scratching my head, wondering how I avoided getting stung, though! (I was actually about 1" from Mr. Bumble!)

Funny Things...Telephones!

As I was lying on the bed, trying to just relax after a somewhat busy day (note I did not exactly say *industrious* day), my little cell phone began to ring. Feeling so tired, I was not motivated to answer, but far be it from me to ever leave a ringing phone to its own devices....

I rolled over and plucked the little phone from its pouch in my purse. I glanced down and saw my eldest daughter's name on the face of the gadget. Opening the phone to answer, I greeted her, "Hello?" Nothing....nada....hmmmmm, what is *wrong* with my cell phone? I look at the phone and see that it says we are "connected". Connected? WHY can I not hear her? I am beginning to feel a little perturbed when I suddenly hear her voice loudly hailing me from my PURSE! The lightbulb goes off....

I keep my Bluetooth headset inside of a soft leather change purse inside my purse. Apparently, something leaned against the change purse, causing the headset to "activate". Once I realized what was happening, I answered the call, and the two of us giggled and laughed for quite some time!!!

That same cell phone caused us to have a somewhat disturbed night's slumber one night last winter. Angus was curled up, sleeping soundly near my feet on the bed, as he was use to doing.
I had spoken on the phone earlier, and when I hung up, I apparently accidentally hit the volume button located on the side of the phone, causing it to go into "vibrate" mode.

Oh my! Someone called, and the phone began vibrating loudly. At first, being somewhat rudely awakened, I was more asleep than awake! Not Angus!!! That poor little fellow equated that vibrating phone with the evil clippers that are used to groom him into the handsome little Scottie he is! Being a true diehard, Angus decided the *best* decision for his well-being was to bail off the bed and onto the floor...abandon the sleeping quarters at all costs, to escape the clipper-like noise!!! BTW, just for fun, if you have a phone with the "vibrate" mode, place it into vibrate mode, then plop it onto the mattress on your bed. It seems like the structure of the mattress causes the vibrating phone to turn into an unbridled MONSTER! At least to a 20 pound Scottie Dog! (also make sure the house is VERY quiet before attempting this!)

And then, of course, there was Baby Michelle....I had spent some time talking on the telephone, once again talking to the eldest...Michelle was a little baby. I think she was about 4 months old.
After talking on the phone, I quickly rushed off to the bathroom for a quick bath. I raced about, propping pillows all around the baby, feeling she was safely "nested in" whilst I took my bath.

I came back after my hurried bath to find little Michelle staring at the telephone, which was now nearer her. As I grabbed it to replace it on its cradle, I was in awe that there was a voice talking on the phone! It seems my little baby girl had accomplished her very first phone call at the tender age of 4 months, by hitting the redial button! As her older sister spoke to her, Michelle answered in little baby gurgling sounds!

And so, as you can observe, telephones in this house are just another of those "necessary evils"!

Whew! Busy Weekend...

This weekend was a lot of busy-ness, but a fun one! Yesterday, Mark and I celebrated our anniversary and today was my birthday. My parents came yesterday to celebrate, and they also watched the kids last evening so Mark and I could go out for dinner. Wow, we haven't done that in a very long time! We went to Ruby Tuesdays and oh my! What a fabulous salad bar. The offerings were abundant and fresh!!!

Today we took it a bit easier and just went to Canandaigua for a little birthday meal, then shopping at TJMaxx. The funniest part was, my mom, Michelle, and I all went in to look around.

We looked and looked...Michelle wound up trying on three tops, a skirt, and a pair of gauchos. We left the store nearly empty-handed! I made one small purchase...a small Royal Albert Country Rose Vase. That was it! The store was swelled almost to overflowing...much like a woman about to give birth. But, alas, amidst all of the goodies, there were no great finds.

I never thought I would do this, but here is a picture of me with my two babies (with their glow-in-the-dark eyes!!!) I guess I should have "doctored" this pic, but, well, life has been busy!

My brother came with my parents and he is staying for a couple of days. Tomorrow morning, we plan to cut up some firewood. A couple of big trees fell across our trails and really must be removed before we can haul our firewood out. So, that is the first task at hand. It is fun when my brother comes to visit, as we work hard, then play hard!

My mom really enjoyed the "fruits of my labor"...she kept sneaking onto the back deck to partake of my delicious cherry tomatoes! She remarked that the homegrown variety far surpass any maters found in the store! She needn't tell me, 'cause I cannot keep my fingers off those little red jewels. They are so sweet!!! Next year, I plant to greatly increase my "bucket garden". And, I have gained some insight as well. I nearly drowned my poor pepper plants, giving them a gallon of water each day. One day, I wondered if perhaps I was overwatering them, as their leaves kept falling off. After cutting back on the amount of water, they are suddenly covered in many little pepperlets!!! My dad was always quite a gardener, and he asked how I got such big pepper *trees*. They each stand about 3 1/2' tall and the base of each plant is very woody!

Some Cute Pics from Yesterday

I thought I would share some more cute pics from Murphy's big day. After all, it isn't every day that a wee laddie marks a big day like his first!


This picture so exemplifies Murphy...."Mum, can I have a cookie?" Oh, and Angus? How did he feel at the advent of this momentous occasion?

Yup...he stayed on Mark's leg...wearing his little birthday hat...showing no emotion. (can you say SO Scottie!!!!!! What a Scottietude!!!!) But, beware, when I opened the "special" packet of birthday food, IE, Three Dog Bakery's Special Chicken, Veggies, and Rice Entree, little Angus could be seen *sitting pretty*.......and, yes, I split the packet two ways. The boys loved it!

We are so proud of both of our little Bristolwood Scotties. Even though they will never set foot in a show ring, they are our little champions, giveng far, far more than they ever ask.....

Mur-pha-day Had His First Bir-fa-day!

All righty...WHAT can cause a normal family to get a bit *crazy*? Well, in this family, the answer is...a celebration!!! And, because life is short and celebrations few, we choose to celebrate our Scotties' birthdays! Yup. Pretty cool, eh?

This is our little birthday boy, er...pup....Murphy, getting a "cookie" for being such a sweet little fellow! Today, he turned one year old, crossing the threshold of puppyhood to that of a bonafide "dog". Of course, we will never think of him as such...he is our little "boy". (in a dog suit!)

Today's tasks included picking up a birthday cake, ice cream, flowers, balloons, doggie cookies, and even a few little party favors from the Dollar Tree! And yes, Murphy's name was on the birthday cake...even though he only got a wee taste of frosting. He did get a small portion of vanilla ice cream with a Three Dog Bakery Peanut Woofer.

And, yes, we did indeed sit in the dark with our "glowing" glasses from the Dollar Tree, singing choruses of "Happy Birthday" to our little fellow! As I said, we are your average run-of-the-mill family!!! hehehe This is the kids....with Murphy wearing the blue "collar" and Angus the green...

Happy Birthday, our little Murph....and many, many more!

Do You Have a Dream?

Well, I do have a dream, and many people think I am too silly.

You see, my dream is to live in a tiny little house with a very big barn. The barn would be large enough to be divided into many different areas. There would be a place where Mark could work on the vehicles, teaching Ben how to do oil changes, brake jobs, and all the things a young boy would want to learn about. There would be a specific area where Mark could do woodworking.
I would also have areas...soapmaking, sewing, and a craft area. The whole idea of this "dream" is that we could leave the messes behind and not have to clean up like you do when you make a terrible mess in the house. It would not be so critical!

I have had this dream for quite some time. I guess the reason is because I want my home to be picture perfecct! I grow so weary of cleaning and REcleaning over and over and over again to no avail. It would be so perfect to be able to sprawl out and work on a project and not have to figure in the time it takes to clean up afterward. And, just like a regular job, we could go to the barn to accomplish the tasks we have planned for the day. And, my tiny house would remain clean and beautiful.....

Sometimes Lifes Seems So Overwhelming...

There are times when I think I cannot continue breathing....those times when I feel so very overwhelmed and sure that I cannot continue on.

Then, I suddenly become aware of the beauty that surrounds me. Beauty that I neither created, nor had any part in creating. And then, I am in awe of the One who loves me.....

And I fall to my knees and thank Him for giving me a taste of this great big beautiful world that was put here, not for His own pleasure, but that we might enjoy!

And then, once again, I can breathe. And, I say a prayer of thanksgiving.....

Lions and Tigers and Bears, Oh MY!

One of our neighbors has a "bit" of damage to the deck on their house....Seems they had one of those BIG "globe" looking bee....wasp....whatever nests under the deck. Well, yesterday, a hole appeared in the deck. There were big splinters of wood strewn on top of the deck, while remains of the nest are on both the ground below, as well as on the deck itself. Upon inspection, the son found black bear tracks in the woods above the house. In looking closely at the hole in the deck, one can actually see some "claw" marks on the wood. Seems the bear found the nest and decided he was hungry YIKES! That caused a bit of a stir in the Bristolwood today, but we knew there were bears about. Another neighbor had called while we were away to warn us that a *visitor* had left their premises and was headed our way. Seems it liked the seed in their bird feeder.

Today, I dragged out my Grape Aran Pullover sweater front that I had knitted a couple of years ago. I misplaced or outright lost the pattern shortly after finishing the front. I have torn the house apart, looking for the pattern, all to no avail. And so, with a fluttering heart, I have resigned myself to the fact that as soon as I find another pattern that I love, I will begin "ripping" my sweater front out. That sounds so awful, doesn't it?


This pattern is so lovely. It had lace, twisted cables with a bauble in the center, a pretty 3-D grape pattern in the center, then more lace, etc..

This picture shows a closeup of the lace pattern, cable with bauble, and the grapes. It also gives a more true representation of the purple heather color of the yarn. I have not knit since this project. My poor heart was kind of broken by losing the pattern, but I think I shall survive!!! I have a couple of books with lots of Alice Starmore patterns, so I am confident I will find something I love again. It will be good to take up needles and yarn again, as my sweater inventory is getting rather depleted! I love sweaters, wearing them all winter long. The past couple of nights have warranted donning a sweater, and there is just something so comforting about putting on a warm and cozy garment! Perhaps the sad experience of having to take this sweater apart will be the impetus needed to get me knitting once again.

Camera Crazed!

Several years ago, I was pretty good with my Minolta 35mm camera. With the arrival of the digital cameras on the scene, I felt totally lost. To begin with, my computer skills are sorely lacking...I watch Mark use the camera with no problems nor great thought. Me, on the other hand, YIKES! I need to think, rethink, and then think all over again. The difference between Mark's comfortable intuition and my total ineptness!!!

I have been bound and determined to conquer the camera. I downloaded the manual onto my laptop, so I can read when I am faced with a new challenge! I took a few pictures today. I was so excited to discover that I can get about 1" away from an object with the "Super Macro setting"! Cool, eh? So, here is the center of a coneflower!

This picture was the result of playing with the "saturation" setting. I was so happy with how it turned out. The color was quite lifelike after I set the setting *way* up!

This was a "weed" I found in a neighbor's yard. I love that color once again turned out so perfect. It was really difficult taking this picture, because the wind kept the little subject swaying back and forth..

Well, I (obviously) need more instruction with my little camera, but thought I would share a few pictures anyway.

A Gentle Reminder....

What a shock I got when I was awakened at about 4:30 this morning.... See cute little Murphy?
He sure is a cutie, isn't he?

We love our little Murphy all to pieces. I have made it a point to give Murphy a raw bone about once a week as this is an excellent source for keeping sparkling clean teeth. (King Angus has never been a bone-chewer....he HIDES bones, never to retrieve them again!)

Apparently, last night when I lifted Murphy onto the bed to sleep, he was hiding his highly-prized (albeit greatly reduced from the size in which it was given to him!) treasure in his mouth....I was so exhausted, I never even heard Murphy chewing on the bone! However, when I was awakened at 4:30, I felt the bone!!!!

Can you imagine little pieces of bone "crumbs" under your body? I felt thousands of tiny little shards poking into various parts of my body. I brushed some onto the floor, but as I brushed, it seemed like these annoying little buggers were multiplying!!!

Ah, well. The bedding, including comforter are all in the wash, even as I write. And Murph? Well, does this look like a face that would EVER want to hurt anyone???? Nah!

Getting To Know You!

Blogging has become so much fun that I have begun to cherish these few minutes I have to myself to share a bit of my beloved Bristolwood! In the process, I have marveled at the beauty of some of the pictures I have seen others take as I look at their blogs. So, late last night, I went to Olympus.com and downloaded the manual for my camera. I have saved it to my desktop, so now I can look up info whenever I need to! (my camera didn't come with the complete manual...all 268 pages!)

I have now decided that perhaps my photos have been looking a bit faded and washed out. I read through part of the manual, learning about sharpness, contrast, and saturation and how to adjust the settings using the (gadzillion) buttons, bells, and whistles! Since I am a "hands on" type of learner, I have been *quizzing* myself...setting and resetting the controls! I didn't actually take many pictures as I was TRYING to make the changes in the settings become more "intuitive". Short of a brain transplant, I may not be able to retain all that I learn...I am so in awe of how Mark can read through an instuction manual and just do things. And, that is WHY he is a mechanical engineer who frequently inquires of me how to spell some of the simplest words!!
I spent every spare moment with my camera today, and I think I may be understanding it. Or, beginning to! I did a "retake" of the solar lamp, toad house, and coneflowers, and compared to the photo from a couple days ago, I think it is a much better exposure!

I completely forgot to finish my Scottie soap mold; I guess tomorrow is another day! Thankfully, I DID remember to fix dinner. It was tough, but I did do it!!!

This is my "science diet", because I really do have it down to a science! Takes about 45 minutes.

• I preheat the grill
• As grill preheats, I rush inside and cut a hunk off a head of cabbage. Then, grate the cabbage and carrots. (using large grater for capusta (cabbage) and smaller one for carrots)
• The above takes about 5 minutes...at this point, put marinated (all day in fridge) chicken on grill on "high".
• Run back into house and make the dressing for coleslaw.
• Add dressing to slaw, then refrigerate. No need for plastic wrap....it needs to only chill
• Run to the basement and grab that 5 pound bag of Bird's Eye green beans from Sam's. Take upstairs. Heat 1/2 stick of butter in 2 quart saucepan (I use Revere Ware) and then add garlic, or (if out of garlic) garlic powder. As soon as butter is melted and garlic stirred in, add green beans to pan, filling completely. Leave covered on stove on low until chicken is ready.
• Turn chicken down to "low" setting and go sit for awhile!
• When chicken is no longer pink, grab off grill onto serving plate, put beans in serving bowl, and grab coleslaw from fridge.
• Watch everyone's face light up!!!!

While I was sposed to be "sitting", as noted above, I enjoyed my (prolific) cherry tomato plant. I love that plant, but hardly any of its offerings have made it past the porch. I grab them and eat them as they ripen!!! I have shared (a few) with Mark....

Fiddlin' Around Today

This was one of those days that I did a lot of things but have nothing to show for all of the effort! When I got up this morning, I began thinking that I had wanted to make a soap mold of a Scottie head. (heaven forbid the day I discovered Ooomoo....) Poor Mark thinks I have kinda lost my bearings sometimes, but I just love makin' things! Here is a picture of three soaps I have made from my own molds already.

(note to self) Do NOT photograph light colored soaps on a WHITE towel!!! The soap on the left is a "Scottie Angel". I usually pour up one of these whenever I make a batch of soap. I made this mold when Ruth (whom I wrote about previously when she lost two Scotties in less than a week) lost her Seamus last year. The center soap is a lime soap with a cameo of a Ceskie Terrier. I still have hopes of one day owning one of these dogs. They are very similar to a Scottie, but generally more laid-back. And, the soap on the right is a mold I made of a Scottie head that is one BIG chunk of a soap! The two Scottie soaps were actually rectangles that I used a knife to cut the angles on the bars. I really like the way they turned out. They are supposed to be Lavender Swirl bars, but came out more like "Lavender Marble"!

So, this morning I sat down with my Sculpey clay and began playing. When the family got up, I had to put my clay aside...

We took the truck into the garage for a diagnosis and estimate. While they took a look at the truck, we went to the bank, then drove a few miles up the road to grab Chinese for lunch. We got a call from the service people...the truck looks like it needs some big $$$ repairs. We picked up the truck and drove it home, giving it a good and thorough cleaning up. Mark got online and found that he could do the repairs himself for a fraction of the price. What to do, what to do???

Ben called a little friend, and he came over for a visit. The two boys played in the pool and Ben and I killed about 16 horseflies! Those big old flies come around every year about this time, dive bombing anyone in the pool and making everyone shudder at the thought of one of them landing on them! They are so big and gross!!!! After the pool, the boys warmed themselves back up in the hot tub.

Like I said, busy day, but nothing to show! Well, OK, the truck looks like new and is sparkling in the driveway! In the midst of all the busy-ness, I also washed, folded, and put away a couple of loads of laundry. And, got a terrible tension headache! Thank heavens the Chinese restaurant always gives enough food for a couple of meals. I was too tired to cook!

Hopefully, I will be able to finish up my Scottie head tomorrow so I can make another Oomoo mold. Does anyone have any idea WHY I keep making MORE projects for myself?

Just a Few Pictures

I tried to post these last night, but Blogger just wasn't cooperating.....

Pretty Birdsfoot Trefoil that is growing all along the road down by the mailbox, and along the driveway.

I bought the little solar light a few years ago, telling the kids it was for the toads so they could see at night. Well, Michelle decided that if the toads were going to hang out at the light for their dinner, they might as well have a house, too. So, we bought this pot at WalMart, and she placed it "just so". It has since become part of the garden, as it is quite "broken"! This is just one of those little things that evokes good and warm memories when I see it!

Just a pretty little bird's eye view of the lake from the neighbors' home. Pretty, isn't it? And, one of the first times in many days that you can actually see the lake!

What a Terrific Day!

Well, as far as weather, anyway! The temperature never rose above 72 on our front porch (where the thermometer is located) this afternoon. The sky was fabulous....a bright clear blue; the kind of blue that sets my heart to singing. The miserable humidity that has literally hung around here the past several weeks was dissipated, almost as though a giant hand reached down from the heavens and swept it away.

The bird nest that was so lovingly built amidst my New Guinea Impatiens has been evacuated and I must admit I was somewhat happy to see the Junco family leave. Heartless, I know, but the poor plant! It is trying hard to make a comeback after being thirsty for a couple of weeks. I gave it a long drink today.

This afternoon, I spotted a gorgeous Swallowtail Butterfly lighted upon a Coneflower. Michelle bolted in and out of the house when I implored her to fetch my camera. Unfortunately, by the time she reappeared, the Swallowtail was gleefully and without a care in the world, dipping and diving off....leaving the premises for the next landing pad elsewhere! Ah well, since I had the camera in hand, I decided to photograph the Coneflowers...at least THEY wouldn't take flight and leave me empty-handed!

If you look closely, you can see some tall green leaves behind the Coneflowers. This would be the remains of that totally out-of-control Bleeding Heart. After blooming each year, the leaves morph into this ugly yellowish color. That is when my heart grows cold and like Edward Scissorhands, I snip and cut until I am satisfied! You will also notice that those Coneflowers are quite lopsided. They are leaning forward due to the tyrannical Bleeding Heart. Thay had no other place to go, so they bowed down, making way for the giant! I didn't plant those Coneflowers there, BTW. They seeded themselves! The Hosta and Columbine are also heaving great sighs of relief, as now they can see the light of day!

I have the radio on, and the weatherman said it all so well, promising tomorrow will be yet another day of "sapphire skies and golden sunshine". It seems as though an area of high pressure is ruling these days over the Bristolwood, making for days of perfection! I do so love this time of the year when the sun slowly begins to descend back down into the southern sky, causing the afternoon to wash the interior of the house in shades of goldenrod, as opposed to the brighter butter tones of high summer. Sometimes I long to curl up, just like a kitty, and take a long satisfying nap in those rich tones of a failing summer sky. How I long for days like today....not just a few of them, but a whole season!