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#460-Idyll Pet Thread!
Now that we're moving things horticultural indoors it is time to focus on our furry, feathered & scaly friends.
Here is Ivy relishing her dog Indy!
Where are Misty, Rex, Mystic, and all the others? Norma, that includes cats! Mary, feathered friends too!
Oh, that yellow tree that was asked about is a Tamarack...one of the loveliest of trees.
Lately I've seen turkeys, pheasants, chickadees, nuthatches and many more birds. Perhaps we can coax Deanne out with some of her photos?
I had a strange experience the other day. I was in our bathroom and noticed movement outdoors behind the lace curtain there. I realized it was a calico cat, white, orange and black. It was long haired and nibbling on grass. By the time I put my glasses on, the "cat" flew away! I was astonished. It was some kind of hawk, huge with furry legs! What a strange feeling that was.
Oh, I like the title. Ivy has a body guard! And she seems very happy about it. Those without indoor pets could post outside wildlife. I've been posting a lot lately, I just noticed. That's what happens when the weather isn't great on my days off. LOL.
Here's tiny Tequila with her pal Precious. Taken a couple months ago...
And here's a shot of what Tequila (no pun intended) barks at all day long. There's a family of chipmunks living under the deck.
I posted over yonder on 659 by mistake..posting it here now !
Âbug, I hope that there was not wine involved in the mysterious flying cat incident !
Winds are up this evening, I came home to find the umbrella prone, wilted containers and after liberally applying Burts Bees lip balm I rushed around watering and picking up rolling 5 gal buckets. Glad I never got around to raking leaves or sweeping this weekend, it would have been an exercise in futility.
My friends Ted.. From Garden Fall 2009
...and Doobie From Garden Fall 2009
Kathy in Napa
The combine is finally rolling, but probably only for a day since they predict rain tomorrow and the next day and possibly heavy rain. The lines are long at the elevator, as much as a 2 hour wait. Rick runs the combine and his son brings it to town.
Kenzie is getting along just fine with her broken foot. DD works on an orthopedic floor at the hospital so she knows just what to do for her. I believe they are doing some ankle exercises to keep it limber. Kenzie told me she wants to be a nurse and help people. When she was here, she bandaged my finger and then asked me if she was a good "nurse"
Kathy mentioned awfice drama, ours has been quite dramatic lately. I asked Rick recently when I got home from work if he knew how much wigs cost. He looked a little puzzled and asked why  I told him IÂm going to need one as IÂm pulling my hair out these days. A new trainee starts tomorrow.
I donÂt rake leaves. On the farm they just seem to blow away. Some get caught in my patio garden, but I just leave them until spring and then just clean up any large clumps. I havenÂt forgotten the 25 or more bags I would rake up from 2 large maples when I lived in town.
Kathy, I especially like the closeup of Ted.
Candy, fabulous pictures. I love all the colors on ÂBrookside and the pansy shot is quite pretty.
Anita, youÂve planned your garden well for fall. Great idea to post the beginning and the ending pictures.
Norma, I hope all goes well with the new diet for your DH and what a nice side benefit for you.
Night all
I thought of taking a picture of Zeus the other day, and then didn't do it! He's got a new bed and he seems very content. I worry that he is aging rapidly. The kids don't seem to notice.
I will have to get a picture of Popcorn and Marcy, too. Sarah has lots of pregnant platys in her fish tank, too :)
It is rainy here. The landscape is covered in the russets of the fall oak leaf. It'll take some gusty winds to bring them down. I am sad that summer is gone and am worried about winter. I just don't think there is enough sun here for me. Maybe I need to live in Mexico. This dreary morning is getting to me.
Nice to read of each of your lives this morning. When is IU7? I'm ready now!
Hello everyone! I've been absent for so long that I feel a bit odd in popping in for some reason.
DD#1 and 2 grandsons (J is 6 now! and T is 2) have been living with us since early February. Many adjustments have been needed and made. It has not been easy for anyone and I handled the stress by eating my way through the first 6 months. I'm now just joining Chelone in kicking & beating the dogs (not really...LOL). I did stop eating to handle things and am working my way back to uncovering little T once again. I regained half of the 70# I had lost, stupid of me and I am so thankful to be getting it back off. Food & eating doesn't solve any problems or stress, just adds to the unhappiness, discontent and frustrations. I pray this time I'll remember the lesson... :^)
I still babysit the twins, too. They are 3 years old now and a lot of fun. I'm babysitting 5 days a week and a few of those days I have 4 children in my care (thus the tears, eating and ....). This isn't how DH and I expected our lives to be, but it is what it is, we are thankful to have the space, funds and ability to help out our child & grandchildren---but we still mourn the passing of our quiet, boring days. ;^) But then, a little one runs to us with arms spread open and our names being yelled----yeah, we melt and thank God for these days. To say it is a roller coaster ride, that would about cover it. :)
Elk haven't been through as much as they have been in years past. I do not know if it is because I have less time to watch for them or notice if they are here. Maybe it is because of the logging up behind our home 1.5 years ago, maybe they are browsing there since our trees are growing up tall enough to cut off the sunlight to the underbrush on our property? Something appears to have changed and I do not mind not having them stomping in my flower beds daily. ;)
Our newest grandson, Jackson, will be arriving in less than 4 weeks. I will add him to my little babysitting group when he is 12 weeks old. Either I will be nuts when that happens or I'll be smiling and melting in having a tiny ones in my arms again.
Other than grandchildren and eating, I haven't been doing much. The hornets and wasps were horrible this summer so we did not get to spend much time outside. I did find and buy the g'kids (and myself) a big 20' long commercial swing set. Now all of us (4 grandsons and me) can sit and swing at the same time. :) Only, I don't get to swing because only the 6 year old knows how to swing without assistance. Next summer.....but then I'll be pushing little Jackson.....oh well, time enough for Grammie to swing when the kids are grown up or gone.
I hope life has been treating everyone well.
Looking forward to this pet thread! Although we lost our last two cats a year apart (in unusually disturbing incidents) I still have fond memories and will thoroughly enjoy the pictures and comments. I am sometimes able to get a few wildlife shots by pure luck but it seems no matter how carefully I crack open the back door - my subjects take off!
Anita, thanks for taking the time to post your recipe - I have pumpkin cake baking as I type and it smells wonderful. Ditto for the info on juniperus viginiana; thereÂs some small seedling growing, in the worst possible location, out in the garden. It just seemed to pop up this spring and IÂm wondering what it could be. Will have to try to get a photo and see if anyone has suggestions for an ID.
More rain today, I think weÂve had 7 days of sun this whole month! Thinking of your DH Michelle, farming must be all about weather conditions each and every day. ItÂs a wonder he isnÂt pulling out some of his own hair. What's your first take on the new trainee?!
Mary, congratulations of the success of the leaf sweeper! I know exactly what you were dealing with - we have a pin oak right smack in our front yard and it just hangs over the gutters. Squirrels work it 24/7 beginning in August with leaf cuttings, the yard is full of nuts, shells and twigs before the leaves even start to fall. After two years of receiving outrageously expensive estimates we found an arborist with the right equipment which reduces the intensive labor cost for removing it.
Hello, TÂyou must surely belong to the league of Super GrandmaÂs who go above and beyond! And to address the issue of weight during periods of mixed blessings and stress is no small accomplishment. I feel like IÂve just met a very special Idyll and hope you come back often!
T how nice to have a update post from you. Sorry to hear about the upheaval in family affairs but those things do happen, and of course we are going to help our kids out.
Wonderful to hear of the boys, and a new one on the way, that is great. A little girl would have been nice but she would have had to be a toughy to keep up with the gang huh?
The wasps here were bad this summer too. They get in the vinyl siding on the southeast side of our house and we battle them all summer. Of course that is where my potting area is too.
I like that you found a commercial swing set. Sounds like fun.
I don't know how you hold up to all that babysitting. I only watch little ones on occasion and it is tiring, but fun. I had two yesterday afternoon and we have run out of very many little kid toys and games here so it kept me busy coming up with new ideas.
The joy of having a little one fall asleep on your lap can't be beat.
I guess I will finally get out for a walk this afternoon. It is not raining at the moment.
Saucy not enough sun here lately either. Nov is predicted to be better. The first part anyway. Heres hoping.
Hi everyone. I will see if I can scare up some pet pics.
Norma and T All in the Same Day!! How very very cool.
Blowing leaves is hardly an option in any way, shape or form. Lots of rain and clogged gutters and I'm really glad to be safe in one place.
Chicken apron pics, please???? Will Annie be putting her twist on one, too? New link for David's music would be lovely...
Okay, I am NOT going to chatter on ;-) Just here to say that instead of slowing this thread down with a ton of pics, I'm allowing myself the pleasure of being able to FINALLY participate in a pet thread and posting one of Boo's own. Got Photobucket working!!! Look out!!!! LOL
This is how I heard YOUR day was going....
First you had trouble getting out of bed
You had a stiff neck
You washed your hair and couldn't do a thing with it
Your new diet really doesn't seem to be working out
You pulled a muscle when you tried to exercise
Your new hat looked better on you at the store
You keep losing things
You got caught in the rain at lunchtime
Then the lunch you had didn't seem to agree with you
You feel trapped
Uninvited guests showed up at dinnertime
On top of that you think you're coming down with the flu
And finally, you're alone in the house at night when you think you hear a noise in the basement
Love Ivy's delight with Indy.
Anita, Is the little white dog Tequila? Is precious yours too?
Ted and Doobie look as nonchalant as ever.LOL
Boo on his own thread is a cutie too.
Michelle, Was your DD's diabetes just mild ?
Marie, the cat series is funny.
Anyone remember when Woodys appointment was?
I'm thinking about her.
Hi Everyone! thought I would try to get back into the swing of things and post at the beginning of a thread. I love the animal pics.... so cute. have none to add, but am enjoying yours. I bought a book "MacBook for Dummies" and hope to learn how to do a better job of resizing photos. I put some Halloween pics on Facebook, but have a hard time making them the right size for here.
My thoughts are with Woody, too. Hope all goes well with her.
Mary, your chickens are an inspiration to me. So cool. We cannot have chickens unless we have three acres in this town. My SIL and I are trying to come up with a plan. He is buying organic eggs for Charlie and would like to have his own supply.
Chelone, glad to see you are hanging in there, wrecking crew and all.
Kathy, thanks for the trip to the winery. You have so many interesting places to see out there, it is fun to go along for the ride.
Bug, love the Ivy pics. I am so impressed with your knitting expertise.
Cyndi, what is your job situation now? Going okay it seems.
Saucy, do your bees hibernate in the winter?
Hi to the new idylls. I will catch up and try to get to know you.
Around here, I have become self employed. So far so good. Cross my fingers to make it through the winter and I should be okay. The other good news is that my two girls are both going to have babies together again. They didn't plan it this way, must be the water. Last time they were 6 months apart, this time it is 6 weeks. Don't know if they are boys or girls, but the are coming. Mary Kate is due April 28, Jen is due June 8. We are really excited.
My first year potager was a mild success, and we are already planning what we will do different next year to improve.
I am going to attempt to keep up with you guys!
Hola Idylls..
Got the series on in the background and the wind has died down in the last half hour-thankfully. It really blew for about 24 hours or more , and temps have dropped quite a bit. I poured a few gallons on the Brugmansia and wouldnÂt you know it-here we are a few days from Halloween and almost November and the thing is all of a sudden covered with buds. Jeesh ! Of course we are predicted to get into the high 30Âs tonight.
Saucy, I really think a fish pic will be a great addition to this thread- It canÂt be just all about cats and dogs (and chickens) right ? You ought to see if you can find yourself a photo class this winter to help stave off Âthe blues ! I think you southern belles are genetically wired against those NE type temps- though I do recall standing in line outside the Bluebird Café in Nashville on a very cold snowy night.
Ok Michelle, here are some shots I got this morning
I took this to show the scale of the arrangements.I bet they will have a nice winter display too,I'll have to remember to stop by and check it out From Winery Gardens 2009
I got up close and tried to peer into the center From Winery Gardens 2009
There was nothing obvious inside that I could see. The arrangement sits on a very large terra cotta bowl planter filled with Bacopa, and all the gourds and pumpkins appear to be cleverly stacked. From Winery Gardens 2009 From Winery Gardens 2009
I guess it was sort of like a dry-stacked stone wall . I might do an arrangement on my front porch for Thanksgiving.
OK , thats all for me tonight.
Needing check ins from many ! One seems bereft without a daily Chelone post.
Kathy in Napa
Kathy is sending her wind to us in and will be here in time for Halloween! Perfect for those getting around on their broomsticks that day. :) Otherwise, the leaves are doing their thing, and I see another Sunday filled with leaf pickup. I need Mary's leaf sweeper!
Drema, congratulations on soon becoming a DGM again...double congrats are in order. How exciting for all of you. And best of luck on your self-employment.
Michele, beautiful photos of that bed throughout the seasons. Amazing growth and so well planned. I can see why it's one of your favorites. I must have missed hearing about kenzi's broken bone. How scary for her, but I'm glad she's doing well with it.
Kathy, neat pumpkin photos. Maybe they keep them together with a type of glue? Can't believe how cold it's gotten by you. Does the brug usually bud out this late?
'bug, The cat photos are hilarious! Too cute.
Norma, Tequila the Maltese is ours, and Precious the Pitbull is my DD's friend's dog. It's cute to see them together esp. because of their size difference.
Michelle, that series of seasonal pics of that garden is fabulous!!!!! What a terrific garden. You've done such a marvelous job designing it. Many thanks for posting those.
Bug, that series of cat pics had me ROTFL! love it!
Good morning! A fast post this morning as the twins should be arriving soon. My job will be to keep the sick grandchildren separated from the ones we believe are well. (yeah right). DD did not get the H1N1 vaccination (her OB/GYN said "no! it was not tested enough" and then reversed that, after a couple of pregnant ladies ended up in the local hospital, with "we suggest you get the vaccination") so we are trying to keep her children and her healthy (good luck on that one this year).
Loved all the animal photos! Funny captions to go with funny photos. I miss not having a cat in the house and I miss not having Boo in the pasture (our horse). We still have the 2 Miniature Schnauzers--Yappy and Yappier. They weren't big time barkers until I began babysitting the grandchildren. Now, UGH!
Michelle, your garden is lovely! I saved the photos on my computer so that I can look at them again and again. This winter I would like to collect something to use to border my flower beds. I have been battling some grasses that send runners out a long way. So frustrating to try to beat it back and keep my tidy borders. Right now the rain has encouraged a lot of weed seeds to sprout and I have a big job ahead of me to get them all gone this weekend while there are no children to watch.
I haven't used Picturetrail for well over a year. I'm not sure if I even remember my user name and password. :o\ I will have to look into that soon, to see if I have the ability to still use the site to upload photos.
Drema, congratulations on the new additions to the family. Next spring will be such a fun time for your family!
Well, I'd better turn off this machine and make sure all surfaces were sprayed with Lysol (I never do that, but I did last night and this morning).
Hello to all!
What a great picture of Ivy and Indie to start this thread! She has the most wonderful smile, Marie.
Sad pet news here. We had to say goodbye to Bud last week. We'll really miss him. Funny how you keep seeing pets in their favorite spots even after they're gone. I especially miss having him at my side in the garden. It seems lonely out there now without him.
I am enjoying seeing all of the pet photos here. One of the many things I've always loved about the Idylls is how many pet lovers we have here and hearing about the furry/feathered members of all of your families.
I see we have a couple of new Idyllers. Welcome and I'm looking forward to getting to know you, Cyn and Candy.
Looks like we're going to have some new grandbaby additions too. Congrats to Drema and T!
Anita and Michelle, I really like the photos of your gardens in different seasons. So interesting to watch the transitions. I think I have the most color ever in my gardens this fall. I'm not sure if it's the weird wet and cold weather that's caused it or a result of my trying to add more plants with autumn interest over the last few years. It is pretty, yet I can't help feeling a little sad seeing everything slowly going to sleep for winter.
Kathy, I love the pillar photos you shared. Here the squirrels think pumpkin/gourd displays are just feeders put out especially for them so I don't bother. I would love to have a display like that on my front deck though if it were possible. Really pretty!
We're in Halloween mode here. I think Bella enjoys this holiday even more than Christmas. We have a big stack of Halloween books that we read through at least once a day and have been doing lots of Halloween related activities and crafts this year. Her preschool Halloween party is tomorrow and Brad and I wouldn't miss that! 4 years old is such a fun age.
I'm expecting Kate to visit for a few hours this afternoon and then Bella for the evening so I'm going to try to get some garden cleanup done before then. My immediate goal is to get all of the hostas chopped down and deprive my friends, the slugs, of their nice cozy winter homes.
I think often of Bella reading to Bud. That photo of them together is like a Norman Rockwell print, a classic.
Old Dogs Do Not Die
We have a secret, you and I,
That no one else shall know,
For who but I can see you lie
Each night in the fireglow?
And who but I can reach my hand
Before we go to bed,
And feel the living warmth of you
And touch your silken head?
And only I walk woodland paths,
And see you ahead of me,
Your small form racing with the wind,
So young again, and free.
And only I can see you swim
In every brook I pass...
And when I call, no one but I
Can see the bending grass.
Most of you 'know' our pets....but for the newby's :
Trubby...blissfully asleep in front of the woodstove:
and second is Tommy, blissfully asleep in Nolon's chair. LOL :
Except for taking walks with Nolon, this is their favorite pastime...as all of you cat lovers know.....:-)
Eden, so sorry to hear about Bud. I will miss seeing him in photos whether he was reading to Bella, laying beside her, or patrolling your gardens. 'bug's poem is perfect, and says it all. I'm saving it.
mariam, nice to see Trubby and Tommy in relaxation mode.
Waving to all,
Marian, it's hard work bein' a cat! I think Trubby is splendid looking. I have a "thing" for brown tabbies.
Eden, I'm sorry to hear about Bud and still remember that shot of him (newly shorn, I think) and teasing you about the hog in your garden. It IS strange to look at familiar surroundings and note the absence of a "fixure". :(
These shots are reasonably new and handy for the postin':
Had a bit of a scare yesterday with respect to Vera. She is a real "home body", always nearby and always interested in coming inside when it's inclement. Yesterday I arrived home in cold, driving rain. Spencer and Polly were definitley jonesin' to come inside. No Vera. Not inside, not outside under cover. Nada. I called and called. Nothing. Helpmeet arrived home a few hours later and we walked the Compound in the rain as dusk fell... a lump rising in our throats. She hadn't been hit by a car but maybe she'd been eaten by a fisher or a fox? And then she appeared... barely wet, so she'd evidently found a dry place to hang out and wasn't willing to make a run for it until she was sure EVERYONE wanted to see her...
I am so far behind, but hello to all and I survived the 2nd. anniversary of Mum's departure to the Promised Land, and the tidal onslaught of commercial canvas...
Now, I need to go back and scan for some news from Woody and all that stuff.
Marian, Tommy and Trubby look like they haven't missed to many meals. LOL . Cozied up indeed.
Chelone, love the shot of Wrecks in the water. Right in his element I'd say.
Vera looks ready to pounce on something. Mummy perhaps?
We had a scare similar to yours with Jasmine the other morning. I had not seen her since the afternoon before and she always wants in at night or first thing in the morning. It was well after breakfast and no show. I was swallowing a lump too as I prepared to go find her. Just as I started out she appeared. She got a little extra lovin that day.
Yappy and Yappier? LOL T
I will miss Bud to Eden. Sorry they have to leave us.
Will someone throw me a life raft? There is water running everywhere. Rain rain go away. Please.
Always fun to see what's going on with all the furry Idyll friends. And I see there are newcomers. Tequilla and Precious are quite the pair. [g] Had a good laugh over your funny pet photos GB. Love pumpkin and squash displays, Kathy. Your garden has nice fall color, Michelle.
Very sorry to hear about Bud, Eden. I won't forget the photos you've posted with Bella reading to Bud. I'm sure you're all missing him. He seemed like such a sweet, sweet dog. Nice to see a post from you. I've missed hearing what's been going on with you. :-)
Nice to see posts from Drema and T and hope you will be able to stop in more often. :-)
Sorry, I'm very far behind.
I'm also wondering if there's any news from Woody?
Hideously behind (doesn't take long and I am reminded how daunting this forum can be!) but essentially unapologetic. You already know that, though.
All I did last weekend was sort through crap in the board room and keep an eye on the Crew at the same time. I was lucky, it was BEAUTIFUL, they were in and out the house(doors were open all day) and they had a great time. The amount of crap put into bags for trash collection the next day was amazing... yes sir, yes sir, 8 bags FULL! The helpmeet guiltily joined me in my task when he returned from his stint at work and I was pleasantly surprised by his willingness to put -hit in the bags! I was so pleased that making concessions on items that were "no brainers" for me but hard for him wasn't too hard. He's a good egg and he knows the purge is necessary. I'm OK with putting some of it to one side and "coming back to it". When there is a lot of "good stuff" it's important to cull through it carefully. What's junk to me may not be junk to him... Maine is a community property state, afterall! :)
Mum has been dead for two years now. Doesn't seem possible, frankly. Like Eden and her reaction to Bud's death, I see Mum everywhere in this house. Which is sort of strange since it was "my" home before she had to "move in". But I can still see her in the chairs by the windows or near the stove. And I see the kettle and "her" cup and her image flashes in front of me. Sometimes it's OK and I smile, yet other times I gag, falter, and wonder how the hell I could have sent her off to that awful holding tank for death. It takes a long time to reconcile all those feelings. And there are no "short cuts". Be prepared, my friends.
Busy at work. Take down season. Boring, rote, grunt work, but work, nontheless. And an endless list of things to do around here. What's new?
Warm thoughts to Woody. I think of you often and hope that they will have some beneficial effect. Rex has a permanent bruise on his most kickable side, you know. Hang tough!
Norma, I just posted on Face Book asking if my Ozark neighbors had their Ark built! Water, water everywhere...and still coming! That isn't fat that you see on Trubby. He has a 'baggy' stomach . LOL
He has never been overweight. Tommy is stocky, but not fat. He is a typical bob-tailed manx.
I can see that Chelone's Vera is 'drawn on' a butterfly. I hope it escaped.
Chelone, I sure know the feeling when one of our cats is MIA.
Our Gingko took longer than normal to drop all it's leaves this fall. I am sure it is due to all the dark, wet, dreary days that we have had. It is totally naked as of last night.
It is rumbling all around us, but has not got close enough for me to shut down....yet. The lights have flickered a bit, but so far...so good. We are close to a tornado warning area !!!!
Just a quick note on what happened today. IÂm exhausted and heading for bedÂ. Our appointment was for 3:45 Â we finally saw the neurosurgeon at 6:15. Shortly before our appointment time, he got called into an emergency surgery.
Surgery for me wonÂt likely happen until the new year. My symptoms are - in his view  still relatively mild. If a cancellation comes up before then, heÂll fit us in. The risks of surgery include paralysis on the right side, ranging from mild weakness to complete paralysis, and aphasia. Which is scary, but they are the same risks if nothing is done. The neurosurgeon says the tumor appears to have a clean boundary (i.e. is not grown into the brain tissue) and there is no evidence of edema of the brain tissue, all of which is good news. So now we wait againÂ.
Thinking of Woody also, and sending some positive thoughts her way.
Also wanted to pass along a hello from Mystic:
I came home from work today and told DH I wanted to fall asleep. He looked at me very seriously and told me he thought I was suffering from SAD. Except that Tuesday night I had my photography class which is a little over an hour's drive one way from here, and I got home at 10:30 pm. Wednesday night I did a garden club presentation in one of the far south suburbs which meant a drive of about 90 minutes one way, also getting home around 10:30 pm. And every day I'm up at 5 and at the office by 7, while he is still in bed. I think I'm just suffering from lack of sleep!
Tomorrow night we are going to DD's last jazz concert - she's been playing in school jazz ensembles for over ten years!
Time to clean up, and maybe get some sleep!
Last of the season artichokes for dinner tonight with a lovely cheap Chardonnay and baseball beaming out from the tube. I brought home a nice cobalt pot for my black bamboo , and hope that I wonÂt need a recip-saw to get it out of itÂs current container. The tasks are already lining up for the weekend.
So enjoying the pets here-nice call on the theme Âbug. Rex looks majestic as always, and I particularly like the shot of Tommy invading Nolons personal space, lol. WouldnÂt it be nice if Cynthia swooped in with a surprise visit and pics of the greys ? Sigh .
Michelle, really terrific seasonal photos of your garden ! We should all start this winter , pick a spot and take a photo each season and post them all next fall. Even if itÂs just a small grouping its so cool to see the progression of the seasons.
Anita, the issue with my Brug is that I keep it outside all winter and it is usually in a near-death state by about February and consequently it takes a good part of the spring to revive itself. Our winter temps will dip into the mid to low 20Âs overnight, though 30Âs and 40Âs are more common. If it is a rainy winter the temps will be higher. Oddly, 15 miles south of here is basically frost free.
Deanne, this thread will not be complete without pics of Their Highnesses , the royal felines who run your house !
Eden, I would love to have enough space to grow some cool pumpkins etc. How about a pic of the felines ?
T, bet you can pick up the Picturetrail procedure just like that ! I use Picassa now, no adds and free too- I also use the software as my photo organization tool on my computer.
Thinking too of Woody, noted that she commented over on Marties Boo thread ...good wishes ,Woody !
All for tonight, time to go harvest my fake crops on my fake farms !
Kathy in Napa
Hi Woody, some good news and some scary stuff there for sure. Thanks for taking time to update us. I am certainly hoping for the best for you.
So Marian you are getting all this rain too. I'm sure thankful our basement doesn't flood. The ground has to be so saturated. The creeks are really rolling.
V get some sleep willya.
Thanks for checking in Woody. It sounds like your appointment went as well as it could. Great to have gotten some good news. Sounds like your decision to have the surgery is made a little easier to know that you have the same risks if you do nothing. Knowing you, you have done your homework and found an excellent surgeon. It would be nice if we all lived close enough to give real hugs instead of virtual ones, but virtual hugs sent your way...
Good morning
Great to see so many posting here - I will put up some pet pics this weekend.
Eden - so sorry to hear about Bud. I'm sure he is greatly missed.
Woody - it sounds as though there are hopeful signs. Our thoughts will continue with you.
Annie has had what appears to be the swine flu - our doctors don't want to see kids unless there are respiratory problems or other concerns. Rest, liquids and something to keep the fever down. She had a high temperature, terrible aching bones and headache and slept for 3 days. At the school I work at there were 118 children out sick and a steady stream though the nurses office. It will be a relief when this has run its course.
Last night we had a fabulous book group. My friend who hosted went all out with Halloween food, drinks and decor. We were discussing The Madonnas of Leningrad which everyone had loved. She had put up a little exhibition in her kitchen with reproductions of the paintings talked about in the book, and gave us a guided tour. It was a lively and fun evening.
Just a pop in....
Marie, I loved the poem. Thank you for posting that.
Woodie, my thoughts are with you. And my prayers too.
Mary, get well wishes for Annie.
We're off to Bella's preschool Halloween party this morning. Nothing more fun than partying with the 4 year olds. She's very excited for this party and for the one Jen and Randy are having tomorrow night. Fun times!
Happy Halloween to you all!
Morning all,
Busy, busy here, still dealing with plants and getting some bird photography in as well as working in the studio.
This one is for Bug... I'm having a good time watching the Jays lately as most of the feeder birds haven't started coming in yet as there were abundant natural food sources this year.
Kathy, I'm looking through my archives to see if I've got any new pics of the boys. Hopefully I'll find something before the end of the thread. LOL
Woody, thank you for keeping us informed. I think of you often and send positive thoughts your way.
Michelle, you completely inspired me....
I'm going to put some seasonal pics of the Terraces on a separate thread.
OK must run and get on my LifeCycle...
Have a great day
Susan, I am so sorry you have been put on hold again, but I am glad the prognosis is no worse. I hope and pray you continue as you are, with your strength and courage. I pray that all goes the very best for you. And I send my hugs to both you and Randy.
I'm so glad to see everyone contributing both pet and garden pictures!
Here is goofy Phoebe this morning. DH is trying to get her in a calm mode. LOL
And here she's finally sitting.
Off to prepare soup for DS's visit. He's bringing friends it seems. DD is still sewing Skyler's costume....down to the wire!
Loving all the wonderful pet photos and garden shots in this thread! Some returning IdyllÂs, too, it looks likeÂwaving hello with the promise of learning names. Very touching poem, Âbug and all the more so just hearing of a recent loss. So sorry, Eden.
Woody, I read that as encouraging news. I hope you are taking it easy for a few days after the exhaustion and stress of yesterday. Continued good thoughts and prayers!
Kathy and Michelle, great photos as usual and so representative of the season. I did have some pictures showing the same area through the seasons, however, they were among the casualties in the great computer crash last summer. Good visual reminder to do it again though as comparison shots are always fun!
Deanne! The Jay photo is just riveting, ohmigosh! I get so into detail shots and this is absolutely incredible; IÂm literally sputtering for words. I didnÂt even realize they had a pattern with the feathers fanned out. I canÂt imagine how you capture such a close up shot but thank you so much for sharing!
Oh, and before I forget!ÂBug, those cat photos are hilarious and the wording on the captions makes the humor more delightful. Did you write them?
Anyone dressing up for Halloween? IÂm going to rummage through the costumes and see what I can come up with. We donÂt do anything official, friends tend to drop by every year and we end up with food and an impromptu gathering. DH doesnÂt dress up but he dons a creature mask, comes loping along the hedge or around a corner, all hunched over and snarling. Quite the performance but heÂs only allowed to target teens (boys can scream just as high as girls, lol) and the bored parents waiting on the sidewalk while the little ones are up at the door.
IÂm probably forgeting something or somebody but one canÂt spend too much time in this box without the risk of losing a post. Anyway, even though IÂm the black sheep, pet-less newbie I do have some, wellÂfish to share. Just for grins.
Torrential rain today but I snapped this liquidamber tree all aflame yesterday. Too pretty to pass up a shot even though it was very windy.
The last hurrah for purple and pink...
Happy Friday evening all,
Doug and I are enjoying an evening beverage. Ahhh.... love those martinis. LOL... especially if they have jalapeno olives.
Kathy, here are the promised kitty pics
Luke getting a drink from the fountan. You know he thinks we bought and set that up as a drinking fountain for him.
And here is his 'Rahjiiness' being his usualy regal feline self.
Thanks Candy, have very BIG lenses for my DSLR. I absolutely love the feather detail on birds and spend my winters doing bird photography.
OK off to figure out something for dinner. Have a lovely evening all.
Can't believe it...I just erased my detailed post!
- I credited Honey with the poem for Bud. She sent it to me when I needed it most.
- I marveled at the liquidamber, the ornamental fish that provide amusement without continued care, the cabbage that reminds me of the red hat society garb.
- My brother sent me the cat series of photos.
- Raji and Luke are...WOW! Fabu-Fabu. The jays...well I almost hear them sqabbling from across the border!
- I've finished my ghost story and am moving on to an intriguing read, the Audience of Chairs. I like what I've begun....
- My knitting is frustrated by the fact that the 2 balls of yarn required are nor sufficient, so I must make a new plan.
- I'm fighting off a cold - or flu- and winning so far. Wish me luck!
Not elegant, but that pretty much summarizes what I lost. Better send it quick!
Bug, stay well!
Candy, that Liquidamber is stunning!!!!! and where did you get those fabulous fish? love them!
Kathy, I forgot to tell you how much I LOVE the gourd arrangements. I'd love to do something like that but never have the time in the fall to do more than put what I have away for the winter.
A fav Jay shot from the other day.
Nite all
I surely am enjoying all the entries in the pet parade here---
Candy the fish count whether faux or the real deal ! You are in for a treat this winter; Deanne is generous in sharing her fantastic bird shots with us. My camera does not do what hers does , nor do I have here sense of composition, but the photos she posts have really enhanced my enjoyment of the birds in my own garden. Like those fish ! By the way, many of us here actually write our posts in Word and then copy and paste them into the dialog box, at least you have the post saved if GW is slow or uncooperative.
Deanne, the boys look mighty attractive ! Thanks for humoring me..I have a photo of Rahji drinking from the birdbath in the driveway garden, what a beautiful animal he is. I never actually saw Luke during my all too brief visit. Maybe next October he will come out of hiding !
Lol Phoebes Âcalm mode Âbug.
Mary , I have added Madonnas of Leningrad to my winter read list- I hope to really step up the pace especially after daylight savings time bites the dust this weekend. The end of baseball season is a factor too, as I will no longer be spending my evenings watching games. So sorry to hear that Annie has succumbed to the malady- I guess her Halloween wonÂt be much fun this year .
Waving to all, and so glad we had posts from Martie, T,Marian and Eden this weekÂ
So where is Denise ? Cindy ?
And maybe Saucys bees should be featured here ?
Buenos noches friends..
Kathy in Napa
Allow me a moment to deviate from pets and gardens...and turn to One Laptop Per Child. This morning I spent some emotional time exploring photographs taken of the children around the world with their laptops: Rwanda, Ghana, Ethiopia, Camaroon, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, India, Afghanistan, Colombia, Peru, Iraq, Mozambique, Haiti, Oceania, Borneo, Mongolia, Palestine Camps,... I can't wait to see DS this evening!
Here's one from Iraq...
Here is a link that might be useful: The Best...
Nikis Halloween cat impression
Niki getting her ears boxed (believe me, sometimes she needs it)
ball jelousy
Rebel and Rocky
My Mona Lavender Plectranthus still blooming on the porch
Happy Halloween all. Be back later. Norma
Mary, I hope Annie is feeling better and that the rest of you don't succumb to the flu.
Candy Those float fish are so cute.
Deanne your Jay pictures have been outstanding, and I always enjoy seeing the Luke and Rahji.
Marie what a pretty girl in the laptop photo. Hope you had a fun visit with DS and friends.
Where's Julie's little terrors? Just kidding Julie. I meant dogs.
We had fun at Wyatts house last night. DIL loves doing Halloween up special and celebrating her dads birthday too.
Today we need to start on the leaf situation here. I think they have dried out a bit.
later , Norma
In for a break , looks like Idylls are going about their business todayÂviewing my weather gadget it would appear there is nary a temp below 50 across the Idyll outposts. I am doing more demolition on Lady Banks and raking leaves and other debris . Low turnout of ghosts and goblins last night, so the remaining booty is already in the car to be deposited in the lunch room at the awfice.
I drove out of town yesterday to Best Buy to see their speakers Âwhat a pathetic collection ! None of the listening stations worked and they didnÂt have many models to choose from. I think I might go the internet route on this. I would love to shop right here in Napa but the one and only audio  video store has no high quality speakers at all. Independent stereo equipment stores seem to be a thing of the past , or at the very least few and far between.
Hope all are enjoying their Sunday !
Kathy in Napa
Well, gee, the only shots I could get of the Terrors is when they are not being terrofic! Here they are, Ajax in the black collar, Tucker in the red. They are best buddies.
Paws won't let me near her with a camera. And I really can't get much of the fish either. When cleaning up the African Cichlid tank on Wednesday, we discovered a baby yellow lab. As the adults must carry the babies in their mouths for about 5 weeks, we were really quite shocked to find a viable young. We didn't even know they were breeding....The diamond angels are on their fourth or fifth clutch of eggs. We got one bunch to the free swimming stage, and then they got sucked up by the filter. Now the filter is wearing my jelly bag to screen out any babies. The parent fish ate the first two batches, and the snails got the last batch. Here's hoping that we are five times lucky. Gee, I sound excited. They are just fish for Pete's sake...
Happy Fall Sunday! Our weather actually is seasonable today - not terribly warm, but not too cool either. My major accomplishment this afternoon was to clean the fridge top to bottom. I finally found the mystery stink, and I now can have company here Tuesday night and not live in fear that someone would open the fridge door. :)
Friday night was DD's jazz ensemble concert and it was wonderful. She was featured on a song called "Little Girl Blue", and it had me remembering her very first concert as a third grader. She's come a long way! She looked completely confident standing in front of the band, and her trumpet playing was excellent. Yes, I was a little verklempt.
This concert always is billed as the Halloween concert and many of the band members dress up. Their soloist this year is a male, and the young man, who must be 6'4" tall, dressed as Dracula. His second song was, "What Are You Doing the REst of Your Life?", and he sang the first line with a Transylvanian accent. It was pretty funny, but funnier still was watching the director, who completely lost it. They also had a costume contest for the audience, and the little kids were a lot of fun to watch.
I'd better get my last outdoor jobs done before I lose the light!
I signed off last time without making several comments that were in my head.
Norma, great pet photos. Mystic often sits with his paws crossed like Rebel; it looks so "composed".
Julie, Ajax and Tucker look so cuddly in that photo!
Woody, glad that you checked in and sad that you have more waiting to endure. Good thoughts are still going in your direction.
I had to shoot some homework photos this afternoon, and here's one that I am very pleased with. I do love the seed pods of common milkweed when they start to blow.
And the other day, I noticed this unusual stump at the edge of DH's burn pile. I made him pull it out (no mean feat; this puppy is heavy!) and I am making plans for this. I think I shall have it cut a little lower, level the bottom and bit and then site it in the garden to hold a pot on top.
And one more of the afternoon sun on the prairie grasses.
Kathy, I love your 'shrooms, especially the one with the spider on it.
Candy, I laughed at your "pet" float fish. When I was growing up, my grandparents had an old toilet float hanging in their root cellar, and for unknown reasons I was terrified of it. I now claim that everyone is entitled to one totally irrational fear, and mine is - plumbing parts!
I got a couple of good house jobs knocked out today. Now to catch up on some email business. Later!
OK, yesterday I had a nice post composed in Word and lost it. I believe my computer is dying a slow death. So I went outdoors to enjoy the first sunshine weÂve had for days. It was a nice drying day for the crops with a brisk breeze as well. The beans are about ½ done and no corn has been started. DH is getting antsy. I did more garden cleanup along the edges as its too muddy. I finally unpotted to containers that had been living in the garage and did lots of other miscellaneous fall clean up chores. Today again was a beautiful fall day.
I too got a kick out of RebelÂs crossed paws. I like the shot of Nikki on the fence.
I should send some of DeanneÂs blue jay shots to Kenzie as she was quite interested in them when she was here.
Âbug, the Iranian girl is beautiful and her head piece lovely and so white.
I was wondering what Bella, Wyatt and all the other little grand-Idylls dressed up as last night. Kenzie was the fairy Mariposa.
Candy, you have some wonderful fall color going on. My ornamental kales were all a fizzle this year. Did you make the fish? I thought I recognized the body.
Woody, my thoughts are with you as you continue the waiting game.
Norma, you asked about my DDÂs diabetes. She has not actually been diagnosed with it. The last test showed normal numbers, but this week she got sick at work and they checked it and it was 48. So now they have her monitoring it and its been as high as 150. More testing is planned.
V, your stump project reminded me of these cool naturalistic objects I admired from Cynthia Hosmers garden at IU6 ...I think your pot stand will be splendid ! From Idyllunion 6 July 2009 From Idyllunion 6 July 2009
Kathy in Napa...
Good morning
Our computer, like Michelle's, is on its last legs so posting is a little eratic. Still there is hope on the horizon - DH is getting a new puter which means we will inherit his old one. Our current family one is a total mess of spyware and fake anti spyware and we have done everything we can to clean it to no avail. I thinnk the constant downloading of music etc by the kids is part of the problem. Oh - to have a computer geek in the family.
There are some spectacualr photos on the thread and I love seeing all the pets. Norma - I'm not sure I've seen all your furry crew before. What a handsome bunch!
GB - the girl from Iraq captured my heart.
Marvellous nature shots as well Kathy and V.
Deanne - those jays are simply amazing!!
Halloween was fun here though I felt a little detached from the whole process as both Annie and David went trick-or-treating with friends in other neighborhoods. They both dressed themselves, Annie as a broken porcellain doll and David a pirate. I felt rather nostalgic for the days when I spent long hours making their costumes and choosing pumpkins was anticipated weeks in advance. This year there was a dearth of large orange pumpkins - a result of the cold summer and the only ones we could find were the white ones that are so hard to carve but look wonderful lit up. The chickens love eating the insides and the flesh will make their yolks even more orange.
We had about 15 groups of trick-or-treaters, all young children and I think every one said "thank you"! At 7.45 DH and I left a bowl of candy outside and headed to our regional theatre to see the play "Clean House" which I thoroughly enjoyed. The candy bowl was still full when we returned. Annie and David and friends were there too, all engaged in the complicated process of trading candy which appears almost as much fun as collecting it.
Yesterday I spend doing some garden clean up and another sweep with the leaf sweeper. I cannot tell you what a joy it is to no longer be a slave to the leaves. I also started a crewel embroidery cushion cover for my Mum for Christmas. It is a Jacobean pattern with flowers and butterflies. A very good friend has given me an incredible stash of embroidery wool and I have become so engrossed in the cover I've decided its addictive.
Have a good start to the week!
Busy weekend made truly uplifting by sunny, dry weather! More leaf raking on the agenda today.
Seriously, Deanne. I realize I never knew what a Jay really looked like until I saw these; they are breathtaking! Your bird photos will be such a perk this winter, if what Kathy said is true about more to come. Now I get itÂbig lenses, studio, artistÂhow wonderful!
Norma, love those photos. Rebel and Rocky look so laid back and content. Jasmine has such pretty markings and that Niki! What a character she appears to be with her posturing. Sitting on the fence rail she looks ready for anything and I can imagine the wheels just spinning in her little head, lol.
Julie, those cute rascals remind me of kidsÂthey all look innocent when snoozing!
Thought you might get a kick out of the fish and see several recognized their fat bodies! I did make them but take no credit for the idea. Remember seeing them several years ago while surfing around and finally made a couple. Always like to add a bit of whimsy here and there in the garden and guests of all ages are drawn to these.
Mary and MichelleÂdrat those computers. Hurry and post some pet pictures if you expect computer down time looming in the near future.!
Cool Âshrooms, Kathy! Spider gave me a quick spasm but IÂm fine now, lol.
V. more pro photography! The milkweed is excellent - enhanced by that blue sky. And thatÂs definitely a keeper stump, unique multiple trunksÂcanÂt wait to see it placed in your garden. IÂm still laughing about your plumbing phobia but anything would look scary hanging in a root cellar! My lingering Âirrational fear is vacuum cleaners. Grandma had an ancient upright beast, maroon brown in color, dusty old bag of heavy material that ballooned alarmingly, and worst of all, a small rectangular glass eye that shot out a beam of light when she turned it on. Loud as a threshing machine. It lurked in a corner of her mudroom just waiting to come to life and give chase if I dared look over at it. At 3 yrs of age, that thing marked me for life. I still hate vacuuming and the sudden onset of noise.
Off to rake and see whatÂs photo worthy in the November sunshineÂ
Mary, I'm attaching a link to cnet's free download of Malewarebytes. It is the only thing that got rid of that horrid computer virus. Don't give me credit - V. is the one who first told me about it.
I'm enjoying all the pictures and reading along. Things are busy here and I'm just feeling low. I wanted to post pictures of the fur friends, but realized my new laptop doesn't have a slot for my SD card from my camera - I have to buy more parts, isn't it always the way?
Here is a link that might be useful: Malewarebytes download
Enjoyed a weekend with DS. He dressed up for a Halloween party in town and went with a friend. On Sunday I took him to the toy store and we bought a game he enjoys. A late birthday gift...or early Christmas present. Whatever, he likes it.
DH left early Sunday for his conference and meetings. I have finished knitting a sweater but need to find buttons for it. Also need to stitch it together.
Today I did lots of cutting back of plants: phlox, some grasses, sedums, rudbeckia, echinacea, ETC.My friends arrived and handled most of the caging of shrubs. YEAH!!!! I still need to cut back the raspberries, clean up the soggy hostas and so on. The weather promises to be erratic, which is a pain. The weather man is quite imaginative, with rain, snow, frost and sun all featured throughout the week.
Phoebe is annoyed that her friend Morgan came to play but she was not allowed to run about with him. Two more weeks of calm and quiet to go. (Yeah, sure!)
DD returns to work in mid November and so things are getting ready for that...except Ivy hasn't figure out drinking from a bottle or cup yet. I think Daddy will have some challenges ahead. There will be challenges for DD at work as well with threats of several people possibly let go....people they can't afford to lose.
Loving the photos. Keep contributing V, I'm enjoying them all! Here's another from OLPC. I'm addicted to them! This one from Mongolia.
Ivy was some sort of beetle for a Halloween party. Probably a dung beetle, but she's adorable anyway IMO!
Happy November...even though it gets dark WAAAAAAAY too early!
Kathy I am a bit surprised that you have mushrooms in your garden.
V, Your milkweed shot made me think. I don't think I have seen any of those on this place.
Mary we have been doing leaves for the last two days. What a chore it is here. Hopefully we will only have to do them once more when the rest fall.
Michelle Wyatt was a ninja or something like that. He didn't go trick or treating because they had a party, but they had a pinata full of candy, and like Mary I was amazed at the fun they had trading candy afterward.
Jake had an away band competition that day. When he got home he said he came as a sweaty band kid. LOL
I'm hoping our fair weather lasts for awhile. I noticed several things that need taken care of while I was blowing leaves today. The ground is still really wet though. The river was over the road into town this morning. DS said it was open this evening though.
My eyes are really tired tonight but it could be from grit blowing in them today. At any rate I am done for the day.
Because bug told me to, here's a photo of an Idyll moonrise:
Now this other one is quite different from what I usually post, but DH wanted a photo of the odometer from his 2000 Honda Insight.
Yes, that green number on the left means that he has averaged 57.3 miles to the gallon over 130,753 miles! Not too shabby. ('bug, sorry but I won't convert that into liters per kilometers - that kind of math makes my brain hurt!)
Not much else new here. Things at work are hitting serious new lows. There's a bunker mentality setting in which is not good for morale. What I truly would love to do is give my notice and forget about work entirely, but the checking account would not approve of that idea. But at the rate things are going, I may not have to make that decision.
I do appreciate having this outlet to vent. DH would just look at me and say, "Find another job." Of course, this man has not interviewed for a job since he graduated from college 31 years ago.
I keep thinking it's way past my bedtime, but of course that's just the time-change hangover.
Another beautiful day here, to bad it was dark quite soon after I arrived home. Jaden and I walked and watched the moon rise and here V shows up with a picture of it.
DH is busy in the field, rain is predicted for tomorrow but then I heard the words "Indian summer" I can only hope.
Mary, I remember my kids trading candy. In fact my DD rarely ate any of hers. How great that the leaf sweeper has made your life easier.
Candy, I'm think that some fish like yours would be perfect in my granddaughter's garden.
A few things that caught my eye Saturday in the garden.
ItÂs Monday, and a singularly unproductive one at the awficeÂthat just happens sometimes.The biorhythms have yet to adjust to the time change, though it was nice to have my morning commute take place in semi-lightness .
Mary, when I was cleaning my closet last month I found a sampler I had embroidered when I was preggers with DS ( now 26) that is complete but never framed. It is an alphabet sampler and each letter is a flower. I am trying to figure out a spot for it . I had forgotten all about it .
Candy, my cat Ted is also vacu-phobic Âhe vanishes as soon as it is taken out of the closet.
Saucy, canÂt you just hook your camera to the laptop with a USB connector to download your pics ? IÂm so sorry you are feeling low ! (((Saucy))) and remember your pretend friends here value our favorite Southern BelleÂ
Âbug I believe Ivy looks just like a rose curculio..that is a decidedly weevil-ish snout. I must say I had no trick-or-treaters in a costume remotely like that !
Norma, mushrooms are a common sight in winter here in Northern Calif, even more so the closer you get to the coast and the Redwoods. There are folks who spend their weekends mushroom hunting in the coastal forests.
V, I hope you are able to work through your ugly work situation. All of the cutbacks and RIFS at my company are sure bad for the mental outlook. People who are unhappy with their jobs continue to hang on in their misery because they are fearful (justifiably) of finding work elsewhereÂin days gone by they would just have moved on sparing the rest of us their crappy attitude.
All for me ! See yÂall later ..
Kathy in Napa
Good morning
A wave to everyone and a special hug to Saucy (((((hugs))))) Things WILL get better or feel more manageable so hang tough. We're here if you need us.
GB - I love unique costumes and Ivy's is both adorable and fits the bill. One year Annie was Anne Boelyn but a Dung Beetle even tops that!
V - Hope things at work start to improve. I had a very realistic dream last night that DH lost his job and was so convinced in my sleep that when I woke it was some time before I realized it was a dream. What a relief to come to, but for many, ( close friends included) it is a reality not just a nightmare.
A perfect Autumn New England morning to all!!! The yellows are stunning in the fog, and those that are frosted are literally twinkling. Where's Deanne's eye and camera when I need it???? LOL
Boo's not old enough to have lots of pics, yet, so thought I'd add this to the "it's time to divide and conquer" list of gardens. Had a pro come out yesterday to quote moving nine shrubs that started as Bluestone plugs and are now just gorgeous. We wandered around for a bit and the price he quoted me included " divisions and cuttings so as not to ruin plants or views by barter." The quote is really generous and provided I'm still working, think it's doable.
As a bonus, Kyle can help him out and since he knows these gardens as well as I do, I can sit back on the Chaise with appropriate refreshment and direct. Grab Leisure When You Can!!! LOL
All that said, it's a wonder to me that the gardens are where they are in terms of plant maturity, and now it's time to utilize good design knowledge (of which I have very little) to put them all together. Here's the main garden when we started five seasons ago......
Such Fun!! These were taken during the first two weeks of October:
Malus 'Louisa' that does NOT have the widely reported lack of flowering and fruiting :-) 3 Viburnum Blue Muffin behind (this is the end part of the shrub nursery) that will be the basis of a new shrub border, one of two more garden areas to be installed.
And the whole tangled mess in the main garden. Can't you hear these poor plants gasping: "We Need Air!!"
Good to hear from Woody and know I think of you all the time. Loving the furry pics, and missing Bud amongst them. ((((Eden and family))))
Enjoy your day!!
There is very white rain falling outside my window now....
I've enjoyed so many of the photos, but Michelle's were very special and unusual observations! I just love the colours! Now Martie, were those photos taken today? Are those flowers blooming now? I love the sedum in both sets of photos at this time of year. And V, keep up the good work! (I can understand [in a general sort of way] both imperial and metric, so no problem there!)
A little more work has been accomplished in the garden. I just hope for a few more fairly warm days. If not, the worst of it is done. The ground is still very moist and the corn is still standing in the fields.
This day is most special to me because Ivy is exactly 6 months old today. She is a very special sweetheart to us all! Here she is welcomed by her daddy, 6 months ago:
(anyone else who needs one)
Car returned from the "spa" and I'm feeling REALLY broke. Get this: I had ONE functional brake of 4, lol. There was huge mouse nest blocking the air intake for the motor and heat/defrost function (no "pinkies" found). I still need to put 4 skins on the car for it to meet "my" standards for winter reliability.
Car repair on top of "spa" treatment for my machinery... which was a lot, but I can't complain since it was overdue and everything works smoothly now.
Appalled at the quoted price for the new machine I really need to seriously consider buying. Gulp.
Good news: while it sucked to pay the car bill, I'm working, and I had the money readily available. The greatest mechanic in the world took care of it and I'm good to go now. Ditto the required sewing machine work.
Bad news: I'm farther "behind" the estimate for the replacement machine than I was when I gasped at the quote this morning. C'est la vie.
I like that it's lighter in the morning. Good to know we're back on "my" time schedule. No more of the "artificial", "extra" light that everyone seems to think is so great, lol. ;)
Toilet tank float fish cracked me up. PERFECT use for them.
Hang tough, everyone. (the Wrecking Crew arrives Thursday for several days, I'm not quite sure how long because it doesn't really matter to me).
Hi Everyone! I am waiting for Skip to come back from NJ., he said he will get in at Midnight. Hanging out watching Sandra Bullock in The Proposal. I like her, and I like this movie. Nice scenery in Alaska. A couple of weeks ago I got mad at the cable company and took back my boxes, cancelled my service. I ordered Direct TV, found out a couple of days ago my trees block the satellite. Funny. Anyway, I really didn't watch TV, except I like the red carpet for the Oscars. Guess Jen will have some company that day. i cleaned my house, put away Halloween decorations. I am folding laundry, and thinking how much junk I have accumulated in 33 years of marriage. I need to simplify.
I am loving all of the pics of babies, gardens, and pets. Great thread.
Candy, I love your fish floats. Cool idea.
All the gardens look lovely. I really enjoy seeing the fall color.
Cindy hasn't posted, and I am wondering how she is doing. Last I read, they were having cutbacks at her awfice. Hope all is well with her.
Saucy, hope things are going better.
Woody, glad you were able to speak with your surgeon, and that he gave you some good options. It is nice to have a physician you can trust, and my good thoughts are heading your way, as always.
Bug.. happy 6 month birthday to Ivy. They are so fun, aren't they? Sorry you are having a little challenge with Phoebe's health. Hope she is well soon.
Chelone, cars can be a challenge. At my last job one of my co-workers sold her car and rode her bike to work. She calculated that the only place she had to go that was more than a mile was the vet. Of course she lived in the city and had public transportation. I often thought that it would be a relief to say goodbye to the annoyance of transportation, but I don't live in an area that has public transport. What kind of car are you looking at? We have a Jeep and a Toyota Matrix for gas savings. I would have liked to get something with alternate fuel choices, but the price tag was just a little too high at the time. Maybe next car.
V- hope things get better for you at work. Having gone through a total reorg, where every job description was rewritten, I sort of know what you are going through. It was funny to see how alliances were formed, etc. Felt like I was on a reality TV show. People who never spoke to each other suddenly became cooperative... I could write a book. Working with scientists was a real eye opener for me. Gave me a view into something I had never experienced before.
Well, I have rambled enough. Hope you all have a great evening!
Since I will be working though the weekend ( the annual physical inventory gig) I am justifying unproductive evenings and uncompleted chores.
Martie, the saga of the landscape plan at the Park continues I see ! Tangled mess=abundance in my book, although I had some areas this fall before I started hacking back that were similar in nature. The design thing confounds me a bit too sometimes, but I feel good about the steps I have taken this year and it mostly involves Ârepeated elements  . None of the changes will be apparent till next spring. I think you have made wonderful progress and we expect updates !
Michelle, what a nice group of fall studies..I think we were simul-posing last night- I do note that you and V are always up late ! There are few Idylls still about when it is night here ..
Which reminds me ..yoo hooo Denise ??? IÂve seen you poking around over on FB , so cÂmon over and give us some Socal action.
And Cindy ?
Happy ½ a birthday to Ms. Ivy ! How especially cherished she must be .
Chelone, I am always comforted by your annual grouse on the undesirable elements of daylight savings time. Your arguments always have merit, though I admit to appreciating the added sunshine after the day at the awfice..
Hi Drema ! My company had a re-org too, but it has basically been undone by the recession . ItÂs been a real roller coaster ride the last couple of years and IÂve managed to survive a multitude of layoffs. We expect this winter to be the dark before the dawn-but a very subdued dawn at best.
ThatÂs all she wrote for tonight ..
Kathy in Napa
No new car on the horizon for me, Drema. Unless of course something unforseen happens happens in the immediate future. Nope, we're committed to "junkers"; plunk down the cash for decent used one, take care of it, carry liability insurance only and enjoy the savings!
I'm on the prowl for a replacement for my Juki 562 sewing machine. It's an older model, paid for itself years ago and it's time to move to something newer. It was the quote for the new model I'm interested in that made me choke.
And now I have to get going. Cold this morning; and the moon was beautiful last night when we went out with Rex for his last squirt and to round up Polly. I heard a forecast for plowable snow in "the County" tomorrow night into Friday morning...
Weather here today is gloomy. No sun so far... but it could show up later. I don't really mind, because I will be inside most of the day. I had an appt this morning, sold some windows, and now i get to play with Charlie boy while babysitting this afternoon. He has switched from shark love to dinosaurs. So cute. I am ordering him some National Geo movies from Amazon, hope they are good. Time to go fix Charlie's lunch, then later tonight I am thinking to tackle the wallpaper in my hideous bathroom and gross hallway. Would like to get them painted by Thanksgiving when the fam comes over.
Chelone, sticker shock can get you. The good thing about it that you are a very prudent shopper, and will be smart about your purchase or non purchase as the case may be. If you decide to buy, at least you know you'll use the equipment. Too bad you couldn't find a used one that someone bought thinking they would make use of it, and never did. Although something like that isn't something you see every day. Good luck on the search.
Hope everyone has a good day.
I was too much of ding-dong to say how nice it is to see you, Drema! And I had to laugh at your comment about used equipment because I spoke with the cracker-jack mechanic I use and told him I'd be ALL OVER a nice quality used machine. He's going to put together some numbers for me and put out some feelers in the used market, too. While it's pretty grim, this is a really good time to be on the prowl for "buys" in the world of used equipment. I don't much like the notion that I'm capitalizing on someone else's failure, but if the price is right then cash is definitely king. That's life in the food chain and it may well turn out that I'll become chum myself. Life's a crap shoot, afterall. No guarantees for any part of it.
I'm way too far behind to comment intelligently (like I ever did) and it's looking as though I won't get much reading in tonight, either.
But I wish everyone well and wanted Julie to know that the Terrors don't look as though they've been beaten nearly enough. You have to leave raised weals, you know!
Good evening all!
Oh Thanks "ding dong" I'll try to do better in the weal department! And how are things in the wheel department? (hee hee, couldn't resist!).
Isn't redecorating fun, Drema? Maybe that should be the topic of our next thread, seeing as many of us are now stuck in the house for a few months....33 years of stuff - been there, done that, got rid of tons of junk four years ago, it's all back again now. And we vowed we wouldn't clutter up our lives or our new house when we moved here...
The world of work sounds pretty dreary V. and Kathy especially...Mary's already been there and the nightmares indicate how deeply one can be affected by the day-to-day grind...and at the same time, the fear of losing it.
Bug, Ivy is such a sweetie, and I love the costume! Hallowe'en was quiet for us too Mary as TCS went out with friends and their Mom. First time in a long time that we have sat at home together handing out the treats. We had about 80 children at the door.
'Bug, White Rain? Wasn't there a shampoo by that name long ago? We are slated to get hit this week too. The terrors dug up my daff bulbs (I know, I don't beat them enough) so I have to replant tomorrow in the freezing rain.
All the best to you, Woody, I bet the waiting is hard. Of course the doctor thinks your symptoms are mild - he isn't living with them. It will be good to be recuperating over the winter so your gardening days won't be disrupted!
And Saucy - sorry to hear that you're feeling down. November is the hardest month of the year for many, if not most, of us who live in the colder regions. Hang in there kid. Hoping for sunshine...
We finally finished the guest room. We tried to give it a more elegant look by having larger baseboards. We added a strip of molding two inchyes above the existing baseboard and then painted the whole thing white - turned out great so we think we will give the whole house the treatment. I haven't explained it well, I'll have to do photos. I haven't done muuch in the photography department lately.
Which reminds me of how wonderful Deanne's Jays are. Beautifu birds, and great shots Deanne. Looking forward the many shots from the "blind" in your yard this winter.
Have any of you come across the Train game? Occasionally it appears as a link on That Home Site, and I always get sucked into it. I could play that for hours, and have. I totally understand the kids with their video games. What a time waster!
That's it for me today.
Quickie quick post before I resume the work outside! IÂve spent the last couple of days pruning the privet hedge. Must get done while the weather is good so I canÂt wait for DH to get home in the late afternoons. Even though itÂs high maintenance, itÂs our living wall of privacy as opposed to a fence. Rather have a fence, actually, but itÂs not an option with our odd lot.
Martie, are the photos of your front yard only? What a project! Hope youÂre taking lots of before photos and will post as it progresses. Is this going to start now or on hold until early spring?
Hi Drema! Wow, stripping wallpaper after babysitting sounds very industrious!
Baby Ivy looks only hours old in the newborn picture, Âbug! IÂm guessing it to be a home birth; a family affair with grandparents attending.. What a grand entrance into the world!
Forking out big bucks, CheloneÂnecessary but hard to swallow, yep. Shows you just how fast chunks come out of the finances, not to mention getting blindsided with the totally unexpected. And ours usually comes in threes. IÂve gone through phases where I was afraid to turn on a major appliance, lol.
Michelle, what are those gorgeous sapphire blue berries in your photo? Your granddaughterÂs garden must be a delight! IÂm sure to have missed photos of it but will double back with anticipation. Somewhere, I have a picture of a fun rock you might like to see. Âjust another one of those garden tuck-ins.
Saucy, Woody and CindyÂspecial thoughts! Waving to all I missed on this round. Oh!Âyes, Julie, I played the train game last winter and got a bit hooked. Been so long now that IÂve forgotten the "secret" to winning, though, ha! Now IÂm using Gems twist for brief intervals of gaming.
Losing many of the colorful leaves now but IÂm loving this Ajuga Black Scallop.
Health tip of the day: Avoid overeating
Lost my morning post due to computer problems, but here I am again, following a haircut and a few grocery purchases.
So far today we have had rain, snow, sun, wind and more rain and sun. Crazy... Yes, White Rain was a shampoo I believe...back in the dark ages.
Candy, yes Ivy's was a home birth, but she waited until we went away for the weekend to make her appearance. Poor DD felt like a watched pot at the time. In the photo she is less than an hour old.
I'm not up to recapping the lost post...but I'll add a video at the bottom which Chelone will want to avoid.
Here is a link that might be useful: Ivy is exactly6 months old...video
doing a lunchtime post since tonight will be a late night.
And speaking of lunch posts, just where is Cindy?
things at the awffice have settled down just a tad. I finally had a heart to heart with the bossman and told him I was concerned about my job. He has assured me that I am safe for the time being. Of course, the "worst case scenario" still lingers on the horizon, but hopefully with other staffing changes we shall avoid that. And those other staffing changes mean that I have to let someone go tomorrow. A good, decent employee and it's strictly a budget decision. C'est la vie. By the way, have you heard that the recession is over?
A friend of mine is volunteering at our county health department and she told a shocking story the other day. What the health dept. is being told is that anyone born in the 1950's or earlier is in a lower risk group for getting the H1N1 flu because there is a good chance they have a higher immunity from being exposed to older H1N1 strains. Therefore, this group is considered lower priority for getting vaccinated. But apparently some seniors got so riled up by the talk of "death panels" earlier this year that they think they are being denied the vaccine because they are old. Le sigh!
My friend went on to say that there is a tremendous amount of misinformation in the media about H1N1 and she encouraged anyone with questions to call their health department.
I'm very much in a mood to tie up loose ends at home and at the office. I decided it's more fun to come in to an organized desk than a messy one.
We're starting to make our Thanksgiving plans. DS's in-laws are going to join us - no small feat, since they live about six hours away. I'm glad that they are making the trip and look forward to seeing them. My brother's wife and kids are coming also. We've got a heritage turkey on order from a local farmer and I hope to be able to get some local potatoes at the winter market in a couple of weeks.
lunchtime is over - gotta run! TTYL,
Late lunchtime post here., but since V mentioned Cindy, I have an update..I was getting a little worried too, so I contacted here privately, but glad to report all is well, but there is much turmoil and reorganization at the her awfice and she is arriving home daily very drained -says right now it's almost like starting a new job . She hopes things will settle in a couple of weeks and she will be back with us....
Back later !
Kathy in Napa
Argh! I just lost a long post due to butter fingers on a laptop!
In summation: Woody, I agree with Julie - I hate when good doctors dismiss our symptoms, but I guess it goes with the territory.
GB, I love Ivy's trip to the xylophone :) Big milestone!
V, your Thanksgiving sounds fun - a great way to get to know your son's in-laws and make memories for the new couple.
Cindy, it's good to hear you're just busy. We'll try to be patient :)
I'm gonna go...I am thankful for a nice place to come at the end of a hectic week :) I'm taking tomorrow off!
'night all!
ItÂs dark out and baseball season is over. However, on the plus side, it is cozy in the house with the lamps on and still no frost, and no heater. First week in November and I still have coleus outside..itÂs just this sort of fall weather that lulls you into complacence and facilitates unpreparedness for the first killing frost. I know exactly how Deanne feels disassembling her wonderful container displays while they are still in a state of glory . I am diligently checking the weather for signs of below 40 night temps. We have some rain coming for the next 4 or 5 days - no frost yet.
Drema, I heartily support all your simplification efforts re: accumulated crapola. I've gone though numerous Âpurge events over that last few years , and I sure donÂt miss one iota of the stuff I got rid of.
Candy, that is an outstanding shot of the Ajuga, a plant I have come to appreciate more in the last couple of years. Back in the olden days when I lived in San Diego, that was as common as iceplant and used in very unimaginative ways. Coincidentally, I also had privet as a hedge between myself and the next door neighbor, though we had Ligustrum texanum, the Texas privet again very common in Socal .
V, it does feel better to have the uppers give you at least a tad of reassurance Âwe expect a glum winter at my company , but the garden center may have the benefit of the demise of the competition, which has been on many a vendors ÂdonÂt sell lists as they are unable to pay the bills. I hate to see any nursery go under , but at least it will benefit my company. We expect to see others fall this winter, and will be in a good position to pick up their slack.
Hi Saucy ! I hope you are feeling better !
Ok , nite allÂhere is a pic I took several days ago at Mustards grill with their cool fountain and the veg garden in the background. From Napa Valley Fall
Kathy In Napa
We are enjoying the promised Indian Summer. Rick is a much happier camper these days. The beans are out.
Martie, I always enjoy seeing what's happening in your ever maturing garden.
Kathy, I love the fountain picture. Very artsy.
Candy, 'Black Scallop' is a favorite of mine along with 'Chocolate Chip'. 'Burgundy Glow' just reverts on me. The blue berries are the seed heads from the blackberry lily.
'bug, I'm impressed with Ivy's ability to get around already.
I'm ready to hit the recliner. No projects tonight. The new living drapes are hemmed and hung and the sewing machine has been banished back to an upstairs closet for another year. I tease Rick that it can only come out once a year. I also got caught up on the farm books last night which I get behind on during gardening season. One thing about the time change is that I do get more done in the house.
Good night
I guess when one is single and attractive and successful and funny and wonderful, one needs to really squeeze in time to stop by and at least give one TGIF, Sue??????? LOL Hope you're well.
Must say that opening this thread each time is a delight when I see Ivy. Six Months!!! Wow. She is a ray of sunshine, for sure.
Have only had a chance to skim, and will be around this weekend for great chatter. In the meantime...
Saucy and Cindy and V and everyone feeling the effects of less sun and less warmth: Hang In There!! If there's a way you can get your brain to adjust to being grateful for being upright and talking, I've learned that some days that needs to be enough and when you get to that mindset, you can feel the actual physical change from stress to at least less stress.
Candy -- Cornfield Park has been a work in progress for five years when we bought a house with incredible inside and outside bones but stuck in the 70's for style. Won't go into the whole history, but suffice to say that I seed and cutting started, bartered and traded things, and bought a few real treasures. Kept selections to things I love the most and/or had minimal upkeep requirements. After a lifetime of gardening, didn't want to start over again after this property so stuck everything in the ground just to get it grown so there could be only one MAJOR move aside from the general plants on wheels times of year. Now it's grown, and I need to take the material and make real designed gardens. The area in the picture is one of about six different areas around the acre lot. The design/landscaper I had out counted about 175 varieties to work with. Don't worry, they'll be pics galore!
No, 'bug, no flowers now except for a few hanging on roses. Pics were from early October.
And to keep with the thread topic, Boo has learned that a ball in the bathtub is more fun than just about anything else. It's a riot!
Back for more later in the weekend. Smiles and waves to all until then!
I arrived home to a seething mass of canids. Each one attempting to overpower the other in an attempt to get to me. Hehehe, what did the doginatrix do? Just what you'd expect: she instantly ordered up a "Sit!" and was thrilled that all 3 not only obeyed but remained in that postition. OK, so two of them required some encouragement to remain so, but they did it! And then they remained seated until I told them it was, "OK!" to leave the house for a run. It's going to be a busy weekend. ;)
Busy at work and not terribly fulfilling but coming home and have 3 (count 'em) dogs to pummel is a good thing.
Eupatorium "Chocolate" is still covered in flowers. And if anyone thinks of it, can you tell me the name of those daisey like flowers (the ones around here are pink) that are so late to flower?
As for the "loss" of daylight; this is the normal schedule of the seasons, you guys; you're not "losing" anything at all! So get with it, complaining will do nothing to change the reality and I suggest a good brisk walk on your lunch hour so you can soak up some UV and clear your minds. For those who don't have to get to an artificially lit awfice, you have no excuse. Get up before dawn and watch the sun rise and get outdoors. People frequently say I'm crazy to keep the hours I do, but I'll tell ya, they are a godsend when daylight and sunshine are at their ebb.
Can't think of anything else to say. I'm terribly behind, but I'd really like to see the fruits of everyone's interior decorating... draperies, Michelle?! Time to quit "holdin' out", methinks!
Ivy is not only crawling but doing it in a speedy manner. She will be a handful to keep up with me thinks.
Michelle, the fall foliage you showed was an unusal mix. Nice. Good to hear Rick is happier about the farming.
Candy the Black Scallop is pretty. It didn't winter over for me though.
Chelone I guess Rex doesn't mind sharing mummy to much. The trade off of having mates is probably ok with him.
Good to hear of Cindy. Thanks Kathy.
We have been taking advantage of the sunny and warmer weather. Taking care of the leaves and other garden cleanup. Still probably more to be done than will get done though. DH was dipping leaves from the pond today and Niki was trying to catch hold of the net. She jumped for it and landed in the water much to her surprise. She is always good for a laugh.
It seems really stuffy in the house after being outdoors all day. Think I will go shed this long sleeved shirt.
Hey to all. Norma
Kathy, thanks for the update on Cindy. I'm sorry to hear she has to deal with so much turmoil, but glad to know it's nothing more serious.
I'm quite glad that this week has come to an end. I managed to get several piles of cr*p off my desk, and I think I got out of an ongoing commitment that needed to come to an end. I'm looking forward to a productive weekend at home!
Stopped by the liquor store this evening to pick up a little beer and wine. DS came by the house later and was surprised when I asked him if he had had a party last weekend - the liquor store owner had spilled the beans. Can't get away with anything in this town!
It's not cold out tonight, but the wind is howling like crazy - makes it sound like blizzard weather.
I'm starting out the day tomorrow by cashiering at our church's annual Christmas bazaar. Then I'm going to head to the camera store and look for a polarizing filter for my camera. I should have plenty of opportunity to play with it on Sunday.
I hope everyone has a great weekend!
Today I managed to pot up the wallflowers which have been sitting in water for the past month! I hope I didn't postpone things too long. It is so hard to keep things going all winter long. I haven't brought in the rosemary yet, even though it was 19F last night. (I covered it with towels)
Dh has offered to help me out this weekend with the raspberries, rain barrels and hose cleanup. I have some clematis to cage and a few annuals to remove still.
Phoebe has less than a week to go before getting her leg checked by her vet. I sure hope we get advice on how to re-introduce her to wild puppy activity without repeating stretching of the ligaments.
Tonight I received a sweet phone call from Skyler full of excitement about various items I'd mailed him and also some Halloween jokes that I emailed. He is going out to see a Christmas movie tonight. Sigh....already Christmas stuff.
Tonight the farmers are finishing their corn harvesting. I'm always surprised how they work into the night with lights on. One neighbour is allergic to corn and can't go inside his own barn. He's nearly died twice from the dust. Good thing he has three strong sons who help out.
I'm having a hard time finding reading and knitting time. There's always something interrupting me, the phone, a visitor, laundry, meals. Seems DD & DSIL hope to put down a new tile floor in their hallway and kitchen this weekend. They did this for his Mom last weekend and it was not very difficult. Today was DSIL's last day of work before starting paternity leave, so he's off with his buddies having a beer (or two?).
Off to read a bit.
Yes, I too miss Sue.
Enjoy your weekend! I hope it is sunny and warm.
I have a bread pudding in the oven. I made a cake earlier in the week and ran out of flour. I substituted whole wheat for the missing amount (about a 1/4 cup). It SUCKED. So we turned 3/4 of it into bread pudding and I've just recycled the remaining 1/4, along with some elderly bread from the 'frig.. I'm waiting for the time beep.
3 pairs of eyes are rivetted on my back as I type. But all are comfortably "down staying". :) When the bread pudding is finished I'll be making a run to transfer station with 2 TVs, assorted electronics, a boxful of used batteries, and 4 dead car batteries. Suffice it to say that there has been some pretty serious "hoeing out" goin' on 'round here in the past month. The Board Room is still pretty full, but I'm making progress in spite of spousal nervousness.
I think it was Deanne that first began singing the praises of Ajuga "Black Scallop". I loved it then and my opinion hasn't changed in the years hence. Lovely! as is the shot of the handsome ornamental Kale. We had a really hard frost last night (our first) and I suspect the remaining hornets in the nest I cut down yesterday afternoon are toast. I want to display the nest in the Salon, I think they're beautiful.
Sue doesn't like us any more, I fear. We've been cast aside as the "fuddy-duddies" we are, I fear. ;) I miss her too...
The leaf raking is due to commence as soon as DH gets back from his errand. The pin oaks dominate this neighborhood and are such a pain. Not like some other well mannered trees who get about the business of dropping leaves steadily. Pin Oaks linger on, and on Âinto December with some clinging through February so you clean up over and over again.
Norma, IÂm a bit concerned the Black Scallop wonÂt over winter myself. Had another one a couple of years ago and blamed the loss on a very late fall planting; not enough time for the roots to establish. This one went into the garden in late April so weÂll see if that makes a difference.
Piecing things together, TGIF Sue is sorely missed and AWOL on FB! Oh, the horror, Chelone! I said I would never grow up to be a Fuddy Duddy, lol. True, my cheerleader thighs melted down at least 2 decades ago butÂIÂm a long way from a hair net!
OK, must get goingÂmy brother is coming next week for his annual visit and the list of to-doÂs is long. Hope everyone has decent weather and gets outside for a last fling. DIG, transplant, work up even a 3 ft. section of ground for next seasonÂyouÂll be so glad you did come spring, and digging is great therapy!
Health tip of the day: Brush twice daily
A quick howdy this morning as I am destined for a few awfice hours today, and a full day tomorrow. No weekend for me ! A full day of light rain yesterday has watered the garden for me, but mother nature does not help out in the dish-washing grocery-shopping world. That and paying the bills will be about all I get done this morning before schlepping over to work.
V, I will be interested to hear about your camera filter and the situations in which you might use it.
OK ..later
Kathy in Napa
It is just LOVELY outside today!
I've made the French toast for DH, put away dishes from the DW, gathered stuff and took it to the transfer station, watered indoor plants, returned beer bottles, bought some eggs too.
I think we're ready for the garden cleanup now! Phoebe is ready for sure.
Unlike Saucy, we tend toward the fuddy-duddy side. No hair net though for sure!
Waiting for V's photos....
Oh, and Candy, I brushed too! LOL!
I spent part of the evening last night with Rick in the Steiger doing deep tillage. It digs down about 2Â and gets pretty interesting when you hit a big rock. We hit 3 that were probably 2-3 foot in diameter. We stop and flag them so he can go back with the skidloader and pick them up. So goes life on the farm.
IÂm in for a little lunch of vegetable soup before returning to an absolutely fabulous day. IÂm tempted to put shorts on  IÂm sweating. Mind you IÂm not complaining. It is time to clean up the garden though now that itÂs nearly dark when I get home in the evening. Even the perennials that look good I canÂt enjoy in the dark.
Norma, IÂm surprised that ÂBlack Scallop didnÂt overwinter for you. I bought one pot a couple of years ago and it has been divided and I now have a nice edging in front of the blue oat grass, 3 other clumps and now I removed what I had used in a container this year and have 2 more clumps. In fact the pieces that I use in containers gets thrown in the ground in Oct when I take apart the pots. So it probably doesnÂt get a very good start before winter. You should try it again.
In CheloneÂs words, the image of NikiÂs stunt cracked me right up.
Saucy, thanks for the malware link. I ran it last night and it found lots. IÂm hoping this will improve the performance.
Happy, happy .5 birthday to little Ivy!
Kenzie turns 5 tomorrow.
Back out to enjoy the sunshine
Ah, Michelle and Rick having a date in the Steiger. I was certainly surprised when we moved here to see the next door lads all working away in the fields in their tractors accompanied by lovely young ladies! So smitten were the damsels that they would even do rock picking with them.
And now Kenzie turns FIVE! I hope you get to talk with her tomorrow! Here is a site you may be interested in using with her. Skyler made a postcard for me here last night. I think he was working on a poster for school and he and his Dad found this site for ideas.
DH and I had an old picture frame with pictures of our house through the four seasons. Today we altered the pictures to baby pictures and made them all vertical shots rather than horizontal. It is nice to have a small change! A friend dropped by and so the garden work was minimal. There's always tomorrow I guess!
Made a hearty soup for dinner tonight. I think I could live on soups!
Time to end this thread...even though my cats have yet to make an appearance here.
Here is a link that might be useful: Photo fun and more!


text:
SIL Barcelona 2014
The International Logistics and Material Handling Exhibition comes back to Barcelona for the 15th consecutive year.
Over these last 15 years Barcelona has turned itself into the annual logistics meeting point as this very fair proved to be a rather effective and profitable tool to enhance both business and contacts.
The Urban Suites Design apartments and suites by days and weeks are just 2 metro stops away from Gran Via Showground (where the Sil will be held) of Fira Barcelona.
Barcelona will roar again in emotion with the World of Harley Davidson from 4th to 6th July
ESC Congress – European Cardiology Congress
ESC Congress
ESC CONGRESS will be held from 30th August to 3rd September. The spotlight of this year's congress captures innovations in scientific discovery, clinical practice, technology, education and importantly in applications to clinical care.
Seatrade Med
Seatrade Med is an international exhibition for the cruise industry which takes place every two years in the Mediterranean. Previous exhibitions were held in Genoa (Italy) from 1996 to 2004, in Naples (Italy) in 2006, Venice (Italy) in 2008, Cannes (France) in 2010 and Marseille (France) 2012.
Boat Show: Salón Náutico Internacional de Barcelona 2014
Barcelona's Boat Show will take place in September, from the 24th to the 28th at Port Vell. It is one of the leading fairs of the sector and presents each year the latest on motor boats, yachts, sailing equipment, surfing and diving.A
Expohogar Autumn 2014
Barcelona Expohogar Autumn is back – the trade show for gifts, household articles, fashion jewellery and accessories. The fair for supplying small and medium-sized retailers in Catalonia and its catchment area.
Equiplast 2014Â will be presenting the latest innovations in the national and international plastics and rubber sector. Now in its 16th edition, Equiplast will once again be underlining its status as the most representative platform of an extremely important sector in the Spanish economy.
The Urban Suites are just 3 metro stops away from Gran Via Showground of fira barcelona  (where the Exhibition will be located).
SEVC Barcelona 2014
The SEVC has strived over the past years to consolidate its reputation as an outstanding continuing education opportunity for veterinarians from all over the world.
The Urban Suites Design apartments and suites are just 500 meters away from Montjuic Showground (Fira Barcelona), where the SEVC Barcelona will be held.
Just check availability in our online booking system or write us an email to email@example.com

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Summer Dream Hotel
No availability found through our partners. Please contact the business directly or check some of our recommended alternatives.
How has this hotel rated in the past?
- Shuttle bus service
- Swimming pool
- Restaurant
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Photos of Summer Dream Hotel
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TripAdvisor Reviews Summer Dream Hotel Tholos
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Day 115
... to stop, we looked at a beach front parking area, as we drove along we attracted a pack of dogs, the chase your wheel type, they ran in front and at the side of us barking for about half a kilometre, it's a wonder they don't get flattened, they were close a few times today.
A little further on we took a track that climbed up on to the cliffs there was an ideal spot close to the top near Owl Cave, so a finger post informed ...
Day 114
... rocky hillside their bells ringing as they graze on the scrubby shrubs. There are also more rows of beehives and sometimes just one or two on a small rocky ledge. When we reached the lake is wasn't very full more like a large puddle. There was a path to an elf's cave and one to the waterfall. We chose the waterfall as you had to cross the river to the cave and there isn't a bridge. Along the path to the waterfall there ...
Day 113
We set off to follow the track besides which we had camped. We passed through the muddy part we walked to yesterday, the water was quite deep in places. We continued for a few kilometres dodging low branches and passing through flooded track. We could see a dog on the track ahead if us, as we got closer we realised it was a jackal, it let us follow it for a short while and then disappeared into the undergrowth. A little further on the track became too wet to continue, we ...
Day 112
... of course farming, there are sheep and goats on the hillsides with shepherds and their dogs, grape vines cling to the steep slopes and the stubble from harvested crops remain on the patchwork of fields. We arrived at Thermes and parked on the Main Street, it's the only street! The free bath was down the street in the direction we had driven from, as we walk to have a look at it a local man said 'good morning'. Les has been learning a bit if Greek and replies ...
Walking the bay of Kavala
... to help her in her academic career. One of the main speakers was also surnamed Tabbaa, perhaps a distant relative to Kinda and he was very kind to her.
We had a wonderful souffl� at our hotel before going to the Kavala airport and Kinda picked some wild blackberry's nearby. It was then off to Athens for the ...


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Southern african music historian; enjoys music in all types of languages. Many of the records uploaded by me here (but not all) may be available for swap or sale, do contact me by message on 45cat if interested in a particular item. Vinyl is generally hard to find nowadays in Zimbabwe with no vinyl shops or collectors whom one can approach to purchase from or swap with. Most of the items uploaded by me in 2013 were from the collection of one person who was selling a large number of items. Some of those I had been searching for for many years and am unlikely to come across again.
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Editorial: Another successful homecoming at FHS
It wasn't all that long ago that homecoming was a challenging time at Farmington High School. The weeklong celebration seemed to be less an opportunity to display school spirit and welcome alumni home than it was a chance for students to stay out late, toilet paper houses and, in some cases, do worse than that.
There were concerns about the damage students were doing, and about the possibility someone might get hurt.