WE HAVE A SITUATION!!!...NOVEMBER 06 2011.........

Nothing to get upset about.  Just one of those things.  Happens to the best of us.  Now, what on earth am I talking about?

You all know by now that Jerry and his buddies, from other areas, love to hunt.  Whatever season is in they hunt.  Our farm and two adjoining farms are their hunting ground.

Anywhere from 1 to 3 or 4 of his hunting buddies show up on Friday  and crash downstairs in the family room, so there are here bright and early for Saturday and hunting.  Sometimes I wonder if they have jobs where they don't have to work Fridays during hunting season..

This year, for the first time in a while Jerry and three of his friends have been bow-hunting.  They have walked, waited, walked some more, waited some more, didn't matter the weather, they walked and waited.

This year, for the very first time ever, Jerry and his three friends have all gotten their big buck.  So why is this a situation?

For the remainder of deer season, both the finishing up of bow-hunting, and the real hunting starting the Monday after Thanksgiving, they cannot shoot any more bucks.  And if I am not mistaken, from the grumbling I have heard, the first few days of deer season are Bucks only.

That means they can go out and tramp, stay in the house and stew, but they can't hunt until doe season arrives.  So you can see, we have a situation.

Homer got his buck one evening earlier.  Jerry got his buck Friday night.  Steve got his buck Saturday.  Tim had gotten his buck last week.

Now what?  Well for one thing Jerry is getting his buck's head mounted.  Told him it had to stay down stairs in the family room.  He was agreeable, just so excited that he got "the big boy".

Saturday afternoon they took the dogs out rabbit hunting as rabbit season is still in.  First time this fall for the dogs, as every Saturday until today the weather was against the dogs, they can't hunt properly when it is pouring down rain, or there is a heavy wet snow.  Yesterday was perfect weather, dogs prancing, could hardly wait to go.

They left the house with Jerry, Steve, Homer and Tim, ears flapping int he wind, running full tilt head, just looking for them bunnies.  That is the highlight of their day, getting to go hunting.  Makes sense after all, as they are beagles and bred to hunt rabbits.

Several hours later they returned, just dragging, heads down, tails down, tongues hanging out, exhausted.  Buy they had a ball according to the guys, who were also walking pretty slow, heads down (no tails here) sweating (no tongues hanging out, thank goodness) ready to call - you have to be kidding.

Steve and Homer decided to walk out to one of the blinds on the farm and see what they could see.  Guess what?  They came back with a turkey, as turkey season is still in.  I just have to think that they must be a little retarded.  Deer, rabbits, turkey, all in one day.  I wonder why they didn't stick around until after dark and go coon hunting.

Jerry and the dogs were the smart ones.  They relaxed the rest of the day.

I have never seen both dogs with their heads in the water bowl at the same time.  It was filled to the top.  It is a large bowl.  They emptied it and I had to refill it.  They were a couple of tired puppies.  Sam not so much as Coco as she is a lot smaller.  They slept the rest of the day.  Wakened up long enough to get their supper, went back to sleep and slept until bed-time, then went to bed and slept all night.  Kind of reminded me of the comic strip DAGWOOD.

Well, so much for yesterday.  Dogs feeling a lot better today.  Jerry moaning about what is he going to do the first 4 days of deer season when it is Bucks only.  May have to change his game plan next year regarding how he schedules his vacation around hunting season.  Time will tell.

And what did I do yesterday.  Matted pictures.  Cleaned house.  Make grocery list of what I needed yet for Thanksgiving - in just 3 weeks.  We are anticipating 25 plus for dinner Thanksgiving Day.  Par for the course.  Going to deep-fry 2 turkeys plus ham.  And all the trimmings.

Now time to get ready to leave for Church.  Enjoy the day, hope the Steelers win tonight, and God Bless.

WHAT DO I BELIEVE?.....NOVEMBER 05 2011...............

One time I was asked this question?  What to you believe?  How do you know?  How does one answer?

I believe in a lot of different things.  First and foremost I believe in GOD, I can't see him, I can't touch him, but I believe in him. 

I believe in family and friends.  Your family should also be your friends, and your friends should also be your extended family.  I have been greatly blessed with both family and friends.

I believe in laughter - you always remember the things that made you laugh.  Other things can come and go, but the laughter is what you remember.

I believe in crying - we all need a good cry now and then.  It is not something to be ashamed of.  You are not a better person if you never let someone see you cry. 

I believe in compassion - it is so easy to make snap decisions about someone, or something, and 99 percent of the time you are soo very wrong.  Maybe you don't understand, don't like,  but never forget, be compassionate.  Don't make fun.  Don't say something hurtful.  Think about how you would feel if it were you.



This pic was sent to me by a friend, but couldn't resist


I believe in loving.  I believe in sharing.  I believe in having a good time.  I believe in going to Church.  I believe in Christmas and Easter.  I believe in fairies and gnomes and elves and the "little people".  I know they are not real, but it is fun to believe. 

I believe in our country, even though it is mostly going in the wrong direction.  It is still my country, and I would never knowingly do something harmful to my home.

I believe there is a heaven, and I believe it will be beautiful, just like mother earth was once upon a time before we turned her into a garbage dump.  We have tried so hard to destroy what is around us, we forget to look around us and see the beauty.

I believe in trying new things, in learning something new, in traveling to somewhere else, always being able to return home, in reading a good book, listening to a good story, watching a good TV show (there are so few of them anymore) watching a good movie, sharing a drink with a friend, laughing with someone, or crying with someone, being there when needed, not butting in but being available.  I could go on and on.

I believe in dreams, reaching for the stars.  I believe in pots of gold at the end of the rainbow.  In making mistakes.  It is from your mistakes that you learn.  I believe in puppies and kittens, and the unconditional love they bring to you.  Even cats and dogs that don't look friendly can bring you friendship and love.  I believe in wishing on a star, watching a moonrise, seeing a sunset. 

I love to share my pictures and tell my stories.  And so now I will jump off my soap box, hopefully I won't break a leg, and get busy with some of my new pictures I am working up to show for the first time in Morgantown next weekend for their Christmas Festival.  Will be interesting to see what sort of reaction I get.

The sun is shining again today.  Enjoy it.  And don't forget - TURN YOUR CLOCKS BACK ONE HOUR tonight before going to bed. It's that time of year again.  Darn.  Hate the long dark evenings.  But that too shall pass, and longer days will return.  In the meantime, enjoy what daylight we have and God Bless.

BANNERMAN ISLAND ...... NOVEMBER 04 2011........

Friday, the final day of our whirlwind trip.  And whirlwind it was.

After breakfast we boarded the bus for our final destination before heading for home.  Where has the time gone?

Our final stop, and my favorite, was Bannerman Island, Castle, and Residence. 



The Castle from the Dock



Potty break before the climb

Bannerman Island is in the Hudson River at Newburgh New York.  Bannerman Fort is in ruins, just a remnant of what used to be.  During the American Revolution wooden cribs were sunk in the river filled with metal tipped pointed logs to damage the hulls of ships trying to come up-river.

The Island has had several names, but the one that seems to have stuck is it's present name.  At one time the Island was owned by a Scotsman named Bannerman and he renamed the Island.  During the Civil war the castle part was actually an arsenal for surplus military equipment.  The residence further inland on the island was the home of the Bannermans. 

The 72 steps

It was during this period that for some unexplained reason the arsenal blew up, the residence was damaged by fire, and the Island became uninhabited.  The Rockefeller Foundation ended up with the Island and donated it to the people of the State of New York's Hudson Highlands State Park. 

Buried on the island beneath the brittle body of old castle walls and thin hair-like tangled vines lie Civil War memorabilia, remanants of what once was. 



Bannerman Castle

 We did, of course, another walking tour visiting the Castle ruins, the remains of the residence, the stone outhouse, all of which made this the highlight of the entire trip.

We traveled to the Island by boat, had to wear hard hats, climbed 72 steps up the hill-side to reach the castle ruins, then onward and upward to the residence.  From the grounds around the residence we could look downstream of the Hudson River and see the roofs of the buildings at West Point.


Nancy in the middle with yellow hard hat

Then back down, still 72 steps, removed our hard hats, and boarded the boat to return to the mainland.  There we relaxed and had a leisurely dinner (lunch?) at Torches on the Hudson Restaurant at the docks.  Upon completing our meal, it was back on the bus, and homeward bound. 



Bannerman residence

 Everyone was tired.  After we had a quick supper snack break, back on the bus, and most of us, including me, slept quite a bit of the remaining trip.  It was after midnight when we arrived in Washington, near 1 a.m. when I arrived home, and exhausted hit the bed.  Had to be up by 6:30 a.m. Saturday morning to return to the fairgrounds for the weekend, re-hang pictures, and get ready for the day.



The view from the residence





And, of course, the cement outhouse

And so here you have it - our three day odyssey to the Hudson River Valley and some of it's treasures.  There are many more treasures in that area, perhaps someday I will have the opportunity to visit there again.

In the meantime, wonderful memories, new friends, something to remember always.  Now then, what do you want to hear about next?  If you have any ideas let me know, in the meantime God Bless.

BLAZE and KIKUIT ESTATE .... NOVEMBER 03 2011 .......

Also known as THE GREAT JACK O'LANTERN BLAZE.  This happens every year on the Cortlandt Manor at Croton-On-Hudson New York. 

First though we toured Kikuit Estate (pronounced KiKut) the hilltop paradise of Nelson Rockefeller and his family.  the home was completed in 1913 and now is owned by the National Trust for Historic Preservation.  Again this was a wonderful tour, lots to see, and lots to learn, not that I will ever remember all of it, but was a great time.

 This was the view we had of the estate as we arrived.  The home was awesome, filled with art work, and history.  But, to me, the best part were the grounds with all the landscaping and sculptures. 

This was one of the views.  There were so many, I just sort of played "pin the tail on the donkey" to chose a couple to share with you. 

 I think you can see what I mean.  It was a wonderful way to spend the afternoon.  Upon leaving we had dinner at a really nice Italian restaurant and then proceeded to BLAZE! 

There are more than 4,000 individually hand-carved, illuminated jack o'lanterns for your walk through experience.

Cortlandt Manor consists of a stone manor house,  brick ferry house, and tenant houses.  During the normal part of the year you can tour this property with its collection of colonial and federal furnishings, and see costumed guides demonstrating open-hearth cooking, spinning, weaving, and other period tasks.

But come November, and Halloween, the grounds are transformed into ghosts and goblins.  There is a breathtaking display, all made of jack o'lanterns, such as slithering snakes, a giant spider web, super-sized dinosaurs, pirates, ghosts, and other creatures.  

This is just a few of the pumpkins that I passed along the way.  It took an hour to travel through the grounds, not counting stops.  Needless to say, an hour is not near long enough.

You couldn't begin to imagine the shapes, how did they manage to fasten all these pumpkins together, carve them, and have the stay put.  It is definitely something you have to see to believe.

And then there were the ghosts.  Just ready to jump out and grab you.  Gotta keep moving.  Don't need one of those guys coming home with me!

This was one of the numerous dinosaurs that were roaming the grounds that night.  Wonder if I will have nightmares when we finally return to our hotel.

Now am going to back-track just a little.  While at the vicinity of Philipsburg Manor, there were these poor unfortunate folks that had been "strung up" so to speak.  All part of the fun and games.

Sure did make a person stop and take a second look.  All in all it was another great day.  Again it was well after 10 p.m. when we returned to the hotel.

Our luggage had to be outside of our door by 8 a.m. for pickup.  We had to be on the bus by 9 a.m. to head to Bannerman Island, which would be our last stop before heading home.

I do have to admit, even though I thoroughly enjoyed everything we did and saw, my favorite had to be Bannerman Island.  So tune in tomorrow, and you will see, what was so special, especially to me.

And as of right now this trip is right at the top of the list of best bus trips ever.  I hope down the road you can enjoy some of the things I have enjoyed, and in the meantime, God Bless.

DAY TWO .... NOVEMBER 02 2011.......................

We didn't have to be up at 5 a.m. on day 2.  Got to sleep in until 7 a.m.  The hotel served one of the best continental breakfasts I have ever had.  After a leisurely breakfast we boarded our trusty bus for our first stop of the day - Lyndhurst Castle.

You are probably asking "What in the heck is Lyndhurst Castle?"

This castle was built in 1838 In Tarrytown New York.  It was owned by George Merritt (whoever he was) and he named it Lyndhurst, because of all the Lynden (Linden) trees on the property.  In 1880 the property was purchased by Jay Gold, a Railroad magnate.  He used it as his country retreat until he passed away n 1892.  

His daughters Helen and Anna inherited the estate and lived there until their passing.  In 1961 the estate passed to the National Trust for Historic Preservation. 

The upper picture is one of the rooms in the castle.  The lower picture is just a portion of the "Scarecrow Invasion" that happens every Halloween.  Hundreds of scarecrows invade the premises, and take up residence for the holiday. 

Upon leaving Lyndhurst we traveled a short distance to the Union Church of Pocantico Hills.  This is a one-of-a-kind sanctuary with beautiful stained glass windows commissioned by the Rockefeller family, and created by Henri Matisse and Marc Chagall.  (They must have been famous artists, I, myself, had never heard of them). 

 This is the Church and a couple of the stained glass windows.  They are quite unique.  We were told the history of the Church.  It was another very interesting part of our journey.

Upon leaving the Church we had lunch near Philipsburg Manor.  Ours was a box lunch in a bag.  Really.  The lunch was packed in boxes, then placed in a small shopping bag.  The manor was known as Upper Mills in the early 1700's, when it was built.  The manor, a milling and trading complex was  purchased by Frederick Philipse and was home to 23 enslaved individuals of African descent. It is now a National Historic Landmark, with a working grist mill.

Above you can see the mill and the Manor - kind of looks like a box doesn't it.

Am going to close for now.  Just remember, what I have shared here today is only the MORNING and AFTERNOON of day 2.  Tomorrow I will share the evening.  I know you can hardly wait to see what we did next.  So until then, take it easy, enjoy the pretty weather while it lasts and God Bless.

HOW MUCH DO YOU KNOW........NOVEMBER 01 2011........

About the Hudson Valley?  All I really remembered was there was a Hudson River, discovered by, of all people, Henry Hudson.  It was in New York State.  A couple of books were written, one about Rip Van Winkle, and one about the Headless Horseman.  So much for what I learned in History, and actually remembered. 

The Hudson Valley was where our bus trip took us.  Leaving Washington Pa. at 5:15 a.m. on a Wednesday, we drove, and drove, and drove, and slept.  We arrived at our first destination about 2:00 p.m. in the afternoon.  It was the home of Washington Irving.  Now do you make the connection?  Light bulb came on. 

His home sat on a knoll overlooking the Hudson River.  It is called Sunnyside.  We had a period costumed tour guide, touring the house and grounds.  We learned about his life and his writings. 

SUNNYSIDE

Thumbnail:  he was youngest of 11 children, born in 1783.  Legend has it Irving's father had met George Washington, hence the name Washington Irving.  Irving had a passion for reading.  Irving never married,  though he had been engaged.  However his fiance died at the age of 17.  Irving spent several years in Europe and upon returning to New York began writing in earnest.  (He had written several things earlier, I had never heard of them)  He purchased and lived at Sunnyside from 1836 until 1842.  He continued living in Tarrytown until his death in 1859.
Story has it as that just before retiring for the night, the author had said: "Well, I must arrange my pillows for another weary night!  If this could only end!"

Rip Van Winkle,  the Legend of Sleepy Hollow, and The Headless Horseman, is what I remember about Washington Irving.  

Upon leaving Sunnyside, we had supper, then proceeded to the Sleepy Hollow Cemetery, where we did a lantern-light tour.  Again we had a great tour guide, telling us stories of different prominent (not only the good, but the bad) residents of this particular cemetery.  The monuments were amazing.  Washington Irving is buried in this cemetery.  We learned about robber barons, counterfeiters, dalliances, numerous authors, politicians, and just ordinary people.



OUR LANTERNS AWAITING US



NO WE DIDN'T LEAVE NANCY IN THE MAUSOLEUM.




From there we traveled to our Hotel in Orangeburg, crossing the Hudson River on the Tappan Zee bridge, and finally got checked in, found our rooms and crashed.  By then it was well after 10:00 p.m., and tomorrow would be another busy day.  And so our first day of the three had come to an end and

 it would be another day tomorrow, with places to go and things to do. 

In the meantime, I hope you learned a little bit in our History 101 class today and will continue the saga tomorrow,  In the meantime, enjoy and God Bless.

GOOOOOOD MORNING...OCTOBER 31 2011........

And a good morning it is.  The last five days have been a whirlwind of activity, all of it good.  Can't ask for any more than that.  Am just going to hit on the high points today, will go into more depth tomorrow and the following days.  Be ready.  History 101 is alive and well!

The bus trip was one of the best I have ever taken (and I have taken quite a few), from the driver, tour guide and other passengers you couldn't have asked for a better group.  Came home exhausted, happy, and with approximately 500 pictures I have yet to down-load and edit.  I will be sharing down the road.

Back to the fairgrounds on Saturday (I never got home until 1 a.m. Friday night, up at 6:30 a.m. to finish up odds and ends picture-wise, then back to the fairgrounds to get ready for the weekend.  Had a vendor friend, every time she walked by my booth she handed me a cup of coffee.  Said I looked as if I needed it.  I must have look pretty bad.  But at least it didn't scare off the customers.  I did drink more coffee that day than I normally drink in a month.

And there was the Steeler game.  Vendor next to me had a radio, so was able to keep up with the high-lights.  Caught the last 5 minutes of the game on my way home, which takes 25 minutes, so that is how long it took them to play the last 5 minutes.  What a crazy ending!

Today have to run multiple errands. Then can start on my pictures.  Really need to clean house, but it isn't going anywhere, can wait a couple more days.  

Saw Jerry Monday night before going to bed.  He had left for the airport Tuesday morning early for Missouri.  I left early Wednesday morning for Washington (4:30 a.m.) for bus pick-up.  Jerry got home Wednesday night.  Jerry  in bed when I got home Friday night.  He had already left for hunting when I got up Saturday morning to head to the fairgrounds.  I went to bed so early Friday night, I never saw him until Sunday morning.  And we live in the same house.  So be it.

So am off to run errands now.  Will begin the saga of my bus trip tomorrow.  My telling it won't be near as exciting as the actual experience, but I think you will get the drift.

In the meantime don't let the ghosts and goblins scare you tonight and God Bless.  

TALK ABOUT JUGGLING ...... OCTOBER 25 2011......

That's right - juggling.  That is what Jerry and I will be doing the remainder of the week.  And just why is that you ask.  Well guess I'll just have to tell you.

Jerry left early this morning for Missouri (a business trip).  I'm in charge of the dogs.  I leave early (4:30 a.m.) tomorrow (Wednesday) to be in Washington by 5:15 a.m. to go on a three day bus trip with Nancy to Sleepy Hollow New York.  If you never hear from me again, it will be because the headless horseman carried me off on his
horse. 

Tim is coming up mid-afternoon on Wednesday to let the dogs out for a spell.  Jerry gets back home Wednesday evening.  I don't get back until late Friday night, have to be up to be at the fairgrounds by 9 a.m. on Saturday. 

Yesterday I printed pictures to replace some of the ones I sold this past weekend.  They dried over night.  (Yes, my prints have to dry before then can be matted.)Today I will mat and/or frame said pictures so I have them on Saturday.

This is the porch of the haunted mansion that I photographed in Woodsfield, Ohio.  Yes, it is actually on the Monroe County register of haunted buildings.

I was lucky enough to see the desert in bloom when visiting the kids in Arizona in April. 

This is the tree at Canyon de Chelly in Arizona.  These are three of the pictures that are currently selling very well.  Wonder what next year will bring?

If you think this is juggling, it is just a practice run.  Wait until November!  When it gets a little closer, and if I remember to blog about it, you will get to see real juggling.  That "if I remember" is a really big IF.  I can walk into the kitchen and forget what I am looking for.  Or I know what I am looking for, walk in, walk out, walk back in, look again, where did that darned book go, and the next time I walk in, it is sitting right int he middle of the kitchen island, laughing at me.  It wasn't there five minutes ago.  I keep telling Jerry that our house is haunted. He just laughs.  But one of these days the last laugh will be on me, the next time he can't find something.....

.I bet you have already figured out from this blog that I will be off-line for the remainder of the week.  Just not enough hours in the day, or enough days in the week.  I will return Monday morning (Halloween yet) and tell of our adventures in Sleepy Hollow.

Here is our Itinerary:

Learn about Washington Irving, how the tale of the headless horseman began while touring a cemetery after dark!  We are to visit Lyhndhurst Castle, the Union Church, the Kykuit Estate, and then on to Hudson Valley's biggest Halloween event, over 4,000 Jack o' Lanterns.  We are to cruise Bannerman Island and visit Sugar Loaf before returning home.

If all goes well, and I am not retained by the headless horseman, I will have, hopefully pictures, and stories to tell.  So tune in next week and read all about it!

In the meantime, stay warm and God Bless.

HAVE YOU EVER HAD?....OCTOBER 24 2011................

What kind of a dumb question is that.  In a few minutes I will clue you in.  As you all know by now I am involved in the art festival circuit.  Some of the questions I have been asked are ..... I don't know how to explain them.  They just are.  So here we go.

HAVE YOU EVER HAD

Someone looks at your pictures.  I carry four sizes, MiNI/s (5 x 7) Small ( 8 x 10) Medium (11 x 14) and Large (16 x 20).  The difference in sizes is very very noticeable.  I was asked - this weekend - "why is the price for this picture (holding an 11 x 14 matted) so much less than that one hanging (16 x 20 framed)  than that one?", pointing to the framed larger print.  How do you keep a straight face when answering?

Someone coming in and spending an hour looking at every single picture.  Then said someone informs me that they have pictures just as good and they are going to start selling them.  Would I be interested in buying some to sell?  

Someone, after looking at my work, including the 16 x 20's, asks me "What magazine do you cut your pictures out of?"  Have you ever seen a magazine 16 inches x 20 inches.  It would be bigger than my coffee table.

Someone, after going through my inventory asks if I have any pictures of real unicorns.  I'll just run home to the farm and round up the herd of unicorns grazing on the hillside and photograph them.  Or maybe I'll just fashion one out of packing paper and duct tape and tape it to my dog's head and call him a unicorn.

Someone telling me about their $1000.00 state of art camera, and asking me why their pictures don't turn out like mine.  (I have never even spent $1000.00 on any camera I have ever had).

Someone with a group of someones coming into my booth, looking at me and saying at the top of her voice - "LOOK, LOOK, HERE IS THE OUTHOUSE LADY", for everyone in the building to hear.  (I do photograph outhouses, a lot of folks decorate their bathrooms with the outhouse theme, but to announce it to all the world..........)

Someone saying "I recognize you - you are the lady I bought pictures from at the blank blank festival in blank blank city a couple of weeks ago".  I had never even heard of that festival, let along ever being in that city.  What did they have to drink, either when buying their pictures, or thinking they bought them from me?

I could go on and on and on.  This is why I never get bored.  But the one that really really floored me was -- I have a sign in my both saying PHOTOGRAPHY, as with a camera.  This very well dress person looked and looked, then finally asked me "Do you have any pictures of real angels?"  How do you answer a question like that?  Darned if I know.

Now back to the real world.  It was a very good weekend.  Sales were good, crowds were .. crowded.. you could hardly push your way through to go to the little girls room.  As I mentioned I sell framed 16 x 20 pictures. At the present time I am selling photographs of some of the Chihuly Glass displays I have seen in several cities.  These displays are all of hand-blown glass, some very very awesome beautiful colorful glass.

I am going to share these with you.  These two of part of a solid wall of hand-blown glass, fused together.  You would have to see it to believe it.  Anyhoo I had these two prints framed and hanging side by side on my display panels 16 x 20.

A very nice lady was there on Saturday, looked at all my Chihuly prints, both framed and just matted.  There were two she really liked, decided on the above picture 16 x 20 framed to hang over her sofa.  She was so tickled.  So was I.

 

First thing on Sunday morning, right after opening this same woman came into my booth telling me "I want that other one also".  She paid the admission to the festival the second time so that she could buy one of my pictures.  This is what makes doing what I do so rewarding and exciting.  To know that folks really love what you do.

 

So this is me.  I have about a dozen different categories that I sell, mills, barns, covered bridges, outhouses, flowers, trees, landscapes, I could go on and on, but you get the drift.

 

This is a very happy part of my life, doing what I love to - the traveling, the meeting of great folks, the goofy questions, the vendor family that you only see occasionally, getting together, telling of their adventures, laughing until we cry. 

 

If everyone of you out there had the vendor family, real family, friends, acquaintances, that I have, the enjoyment I get out of every single day, no matter what, you have been truly blessed.  Knowing that someone, like the lady this weekend, is getting so much enjoyment out of what you do, what on earth more could you ask for?

 

So never look back, just look ahead and be thankful for just being alive.  God Bless.

ABOUT THE SAME AS YESTERDAY....OCTOBER 19 2011.....

Still running late.  Got bunches of stuff to do today.  And the forecast is for more rain, some heavy, and wind, lots of sustained wind, not gusts.  What else is new?

The 2 page flyer for the Wash. Co. Fairgrounds festival was in Sunday's paper.  The list of vendors and their locations are always in this flyer, and Russ and I both have our same spots as in prior years.  Also our neighbors are the same friends as in prior years.  Party time!

Rebecca's book has reached  No. 5 on the UK's best seller list.  You folks over there keep on buying - would be awesome if it hit No 1, even if for only a day.

She is also spending today getting her material for the two seminars she will be holding in Florida this weekend tweaked.  And packing.  And grocery shopping so the kids have plenty to eat while they are gone.   Then it is off to the airport way before daylight for Rebeca and Neal for their early morning flight.  While they are flying south I will be setting up at the fairgrounds for the festival.  Wish I could be two places at once, but haven't figured that angle out yet.

It has been announced that us on Social Security are scheduled for a pay increase in January.  First time in two years.  Won't know what to do with the extra $2.00 I will see after they take out for medicare.  Will have to go on a spending spree!  Lets see, what will I splurge on this year?

This was at the Florida Writer's conference a couple of years ago when Rebecca was conducting one of her seminars.  At last count she had just over 100 in the audience.  She had expected around 25. 

This next picture was taken outside of our hotel at Lake Mary, where the conference is actually held. 

It doesn't matter where you go, there is always something to take a picture of.  Now back to, where was I?  Oh yes, splurging and spending sprees.

 And speaking of spending, I checked my Christmas gift list - yes it is that time of year, again, and looks as if I have all my major shopping done except for the gift cards.  I start my shopping in January, as I see things I think someone would like I pick it up.  Biggest problem is when it is actually time to start gift wrapping, I start searching - where in the heck did I put this and that?  Talk about a scavenger hunt.

Also starting to scope out the turkeys.  We usually have turkey twice a year, Thanksgiving and Christmas, and they are deep fried.  No other way to serve turkey.  Jerry does the honors, the meat just melts in your mouth, we get the largest turkey that our fryer will hold, there is never anything left over.

Am I rushing the seasons?  Nope.  They are rushing me.  I just celebrated the new year (going to bed at 10 p.m.) and it is looming on the horizon again. 

But enough of my rambling.  This is Wednesday.  Bible study at 10 a.m.  Have a good day and God Bless.

RUNNIN' LATE - AGAIN - OCTOBER 18 2011..............

Nothin' new about that.  But am really late posting today.  Can't even blame it on anyone else.  Just me. 

Got the flower beds cleaned off yesterday afternoon, now, finally, they are really ready for winter.  The grass needs mowed again.  It is late October for pete's sake.  Mowing should be done. 

Was watching Monday night football and Hawaii 5 0, bouncing back and forth. Finally about 10 p.m. could hardly stay awake.  All that out in the fresh air stuff in the afternoon.  Threw in the towel, went to bed and crashed.

Midnight.  Wide awake.  Tossed and turned.  Finally got some hot milk, that usually puts the lights out for me.  Nope.  2:30 a.m. still awake.  Decided to read a while.  Did I get sleepy.  Nada.  3:00 a.m. decided to play hearts and solitaire on the computer.  4:00 a.m. back to bed.  

Still awake at 4:40 a.m. and heard Jerry get up.  That is his normal get-up time, and I never, but never, hear him.  Did last night.  Then, finally the next thing I knew it was after 9:30 a.m.  So am running late.  Again.

Got my OJ and tea.  Fed the cats.  Started my daily computer routine.  Got a phone call, let the dogs out, let the dogs in, washed Sam's feet as she is still looking for her pot of gold (in her case something to eat).  Or whatever.  Got another phone call.  So here I am, almost Price is Right time and I am still trying to catch up with myself.  Actually it is P is R time.

I very rarely have a night I can't sleep.  Hit the bed, out like a light, as the saying goes.  But then there is that one night, nothing works, I play, and lose, a lot of hearts. 

Rained again last night.  Nothing new there.  Sun shining today, the dew is sparkling on the grass, that needs mowed again, it is actually calm, no wind blasting our hill top.  I hope this isn't the calm before another storm.  I wonder what winter will bring?  Will it be another stormagedden like a couple of years ago?

 This was Jerry measuring during the storm.  You can see how hard it was snowing, and it just kept on and kept on.

 After the storm.  Talk about a winter wonderland. 

One of my outdoor kittys coming from the barn to be fed breakfast.  She was jumping from spot to spot.  Had to laugh.  Of course she didn't think it was funny.

Well better get this posted or it will be time for tomorrow's blog.  Enjoy the sun and calm and God Bless.

MONDAYS and BLAH ..... OCTOBER 17 2011

Why is this so true?  I guess because the weekend is over for another week, and it is back to work, back to school, back to what-ever. 

I have no earth-shattering news.  I have 4 new pictures to frame for this coming weekend's festival, otherwise my inventory is as good as it will be.

I do have a major job this afternoon, providing the weather holds.  It rained again last night.  What is new about that?  The major job is removing all my impatiens from my flower beds.  No, we haven't had frost yet.  That in itself is very unusual because we usually have a heavy frost in September sometime, which kills all the annual flowers.  Then it warms up and gets beautiful again.

Past the middle of October.  No frost.  why remove the flowers?  Because of the wind.  Sounds a little crazy, doesn't it.  What does wind have to do with removing flowers.

I guess I will tell you, whether you want to know or not.  The wind blew Friday and Saturday.  Blew hard.  Blew really hard.  It blew SO hard that it stripped most of the leaves and flowers from my impatiens.  Today I have only green stems with an occasional flower in the flower beds.  Very few leaves.  Very few flowers.

This is how it looked a few days ago.  The next picture is a close-up of my impatiens in bloom.

You can see how nice they looked.  Now, this is today..............

Pretty pitiful-looking aren't they?  So this is clean out the flower bed day, just leaving the perennial shrubs and stuff that winter well.

All in all this has been a very unusual, strange year.  Nothing weather-wise has been normal.  Makes me almost afraid to think of what winter will bring.  

Sun is shining right now, so enjoy that strange bright light all around you and God Bless.

P.S. - ..OCTOBER 16 2011

In my haste to get my blog posted this morning before leaving for Church I failed to share one important piece of information.

Granddaughter Shelby also received an award from her school in the form of a check for having the highest point grade average.  Wow!!!