Thursday, July 30, 2009

" Wass Going On"

It's been a REALLY busy few days. A 10 and 7 year old can keep you hopping! I first want to say I got the brand new release " Pretty Is As Pretty Dies " by Elizabeth Spann Craig in the mail yesterday! The book is the first in the Myrtle Clover Mystery series and is set in North Carolina! It is such a pretty book I couldn't wait to start it, so I dug in last night.







Elizabeth is one of my fellow bloggers catch her @ Mystery Writing Is Murder and she also follows The Writers Porch! Thank you Elizabeth for giving me the opportunity to read and review your new book!


I ran into some pretty ominous clouds on Sunday while driving to Memphis and some rain but had a pretty good trip.







I was dreading having to drive through this black boomer






The closer I got, the more I dreaded it! I was actually able to drive out of it in a short distance thank goodness!






It has rained everyday until today so we've done a lot of reading, watching movies, eating and laying around!Oh, and puppy sitting!







" The Girl" arrived last night, she got today off from school for making an A+ on a project.
So we are heading to Pensacola Beach in the morning!







This morning, we had "puppy races". Duke won most of the time as even though he is still a
" fat boy " he's not as fat as Patch. Yes, Hoss has a new name! Patch, short for Patches!










They actually would race from the kids to Melanie who was patting the floor calling their name.









They are really growing and playing around now. They were 5 weeks on Tuesday!
Thank you all for your comments and I'll be back in full speed on Monday!
I also got a report from the GI doctor, the polyps were benign!! Thank you for your prayers!!























Saturday, July 25, 2009

" YES SIR...That's My Babies "

I will be driving to Memphis, 300 miles, tomorrow to meet my daughter and pick up my gran babies Kohl and Molly who are coming to spend the week with Nana!We will spend the night in Memphis and return here on Monday. This is a hanging plaque they made me last Christmas.



These are the three books I plan to read to them while their here! One of the many pleasures of being a Nana! I also plan to take them to the beach for a picnic.





I caught my baby Jake napping on the dog couch today, as usual, flat of his back!


When the flash went off he turned and gave me a what for look! What for do you wake me up he says?


Like father like sons! They definitely get this from Jake. Sadie never sleeps on her back.



We took the babies outside today for a play time!




They had a ball! They can move fast in the grass!





Hubby calls Hoss and he came running!







We had as much fun watching as they did playing!







In fact they whined when I took them back in!








Yes Sir, that's my baby boy! We are still trying to figure out a new name for him. Hubby doesn't want to call him Hoss. I may give Kohl and Molly a go at picking one.









I'm still strolling the yard camera in hand, looking at Sunsets and clouds! Today's Sunset!









Since I'll be gone till Monday, Hubby's going fishing on the coast tomorrow with his BIL ! He's ready to role out at daylight!











I got the last of the Tomatoes put up today. I was going to put them in the freezer but decided to do jars. I got 1 qt of juice, 3 qts. of tomatoes and made 2 qts of Spaghetti Sauce with fresh herbs from my herb garden. I put Sweet Basil, Oregano,Thyme and Rosemary in it. This is the first time I've done Spaghetti Sauce so we'll see how it turns out.













The peppers however don't want to quit, so I will continue to deal with them till they give it up!











So I 'll be on the road again tomorrow listening to an audio book going to get my babies !!
HAVE A GREAT WEEK EVERYONE!!!!!














Thursday, July 23, 2009

" Fascination "

Who would have ever thought that at my age, I'm totally in the "rusty years"( I do not agree with the term golden years) I could be as fascinated as a child by some seemingly silly things?
Not me for sure, but I am! For instance, this looks like a racket of some kind. It's not, it's a Bug Zapper! It holds two AA batteries and shoots an electric charge to a bug that it comes in contact with! Who thinks up these things? It works like a charm and sells for $12.99!



It seems lately Hubby and I are both fascinated by the unusual clouds that appear every afternoon. He gazes overhead and can predict better than our local weatherman, if we will get rain from them!



I stand in awe gazing with my camera at the shapes and sizes!


They make me want to grab a quilt and lay down and gaze like I remember doing as a child

Trying to find animal shapes.....




Or Angel faces......





The blending colors remind me of abstract paintings





I have become totally fascinated by clouds...






This reminds me of water spouts over the ocean....no water came down however!







And then there is the mystical foggy mist that magically appears every morning









It fascinates me to no end...








It makes the cattle coming down to graze look like ghostly apparitions...










Moving quietly through the mist...











Talk about fascinating entertainment, a couple of days ago Hubby tells me "something" has been getting in the fish feed stored in his shop. So night before last at about dark thirty we were sitting on the screen porch and low and behold here come 2 huge coons out from under the foot high gap he leaves open on the shop door for TC our cat to hunt rats. So last night, we close the door and set a pan of fish feed in front of it under the light. Dark thirty like clock work, there they come. This was the best shot I could get. Those dark figures are two coons bigger than Jake and Sadie! We missed our favorite show " Ghost Hunters" to watch the coons ! HA! How's that for entertainment?












I'm fascinated too by the fact that this steer was so ugly when he was born I named him Masquerade because his face looked like a carnival mask. He's turning out to be a fairly handsome guy now!












It is a fascinating thing to have a 1400 pound bull like Bochephus come up to you ever day and eat out of your hand! Harley, our former bull weighed 2400 and did the same thing! Fascinating!















I can't leave out Guinea Pearl. He/She, we don't know which, showed up here about 2 years ago and thinks it's one of the Mallard ducks! This critter is full of antics like walking sideways and jumping straight up that are fascinating to watch!















The fledglings. This couple raises two sets of babies in this spot every year, this year they had a total of 11. Every evening all 11 come and roost beside the old nest on the ledge. I couldn't get a picture of them all lined up but got these. I'm fascinated by this yearly process!














My greatest fascination has to be the "fat boys". I thought they would never be able to sit or walk because they really were obese for little puppies! They are filling out now and playing and walking around some. Yesterday, Hoss barked and scared himself! He didn't know he could do that!

















Have you ever considered just how fascinating it is that we can can fresh food in ways that allows us to have them year around. Hubby pulled up the tomato vines yesterday morning as they had quit blooming and gathered the green ones off. I made Hot Garlic Green Tomatoes. I added carrots to the tomatoes, fresh garlic, fresh dill, hot peppers and spices.


















I got 6 pints...Can't wait to get into these as a side to sandwiches.



















Tah Dah! Those 6 pints filled the cabinet! I did good didn't I?




















I took the bigger ones, sliced them, put them on a cookie sheet and placed them in the freezer long enough to glaze over where they don't stick together.




















Then I vacum sealed them with my Food Saver machine. Thawed out and battered and fried
this winter, they will taste just like off the vine Fried Green Tomatoes! YUM! I got eight bags of these!























Another thing that fascinates me is how one flower bloom dries and makes so much seed!
I got this pack of Columbine from the GSMNP yesterday in my packet from renewing my membership. I have been a supporter of The Great Smoky Mountain National Park for many years and consider the $30.oo yearly fee, money well spent to be able to enjoy the beauty of the park.I know it will never be as gorgeous as the pictures KB at Romping and Rolling in the Rockies blog, takes of the wild Columbine, but I hope it will at least allow me to have some!






































This is seed I've collected from some of my flowers. Lots of Zinnia, Bachelor Buttons and Fox Glove to plant in the late fall!








I told you the other day about ordering myself a new bed reading lamp. It came yesterday and I am just fascinated by the ability to adjust my light for bedtime reading which lately has been my only reading time.

























It has a dimmer switch which is fabulous! So what fascinates you in your life? Ever thought about it?


























Thank you all so much for your wonderful comments! I read them and laugh, smile and think how lucky I am to have the best blog followers out there. Others have even told me that too! I'm trying to visit everyone and comment but time is sparse right now, but soon I'll be able to "get around" more often! Have a great day and find some fascination in your life!!