The Tree

Our tree this year.
Funny, but I really like it. Notice the decorations.

Jammin' with Uncle Stevie

It's True!

We are getting a few things done; this wall hasn't been painted since we bought this house (17.5 years!). Dad 'surprised' me last week by moving the china cabinet while I was at work, removing the wallpaper and - yes - mudding and sanding the wall. (yep, I was surprised alright!)

Here he is painting the smoothed out wall. I chose a nice neutral shell white color which he liked. It brightens up this dark room.

Then we started the corner room, now dad's office. I cut the ceilings then he rolled the first coat.

It's TRUE! Dad really can paint. Although, you will notice him telling me (in this photo) that pictures don't always tell the truth; I can't prove anything by showing this.

and now....the Announcement!

Momma got a baby!

Happy Thanksgiving!

One Proud Papa

There's no one prouder than Papa and me.

I just wish we had more photos of the rest of the brood.

Glad for a Companion

Andy is really glad I am home, and almost as glad that I brought Bailey.


They take a Sunday nap with me, wrestle in the morning and generally antagonize everyone.

Still, they have fun, and in some ways Bailey helps to keep Andy young.

Andy will be 10 years old this coming July.

Click one of the pictures to see how they entertain themselves.

Puppy Pavilion

This is what it looks like when your dog has 10 puppies. Chloe is a good mom, but after 4 weeks she pretty well gave up on nursing these little tikes. They eat grotesque amounts of food, milk and fur. I think Amanda said they only had 2 males.


Notice the escape artist. He is always finding ways out of the pavilion, not that the grass is greener, but I think he just takes after his roaming father.

Show off

This bird thinks he is safe from the platter. I hope he is right.

My neighbors don't seem to enjoy the local wildlife in a live state the way I do. They tell me I am using the wrong equipment to shoot my subjects.

Turkey Time

With the holidays approaching, the local turkey crew are looking for safe havens. Apparently word got around that we had goose last Thanksgiving, so these fellows think their necks are safe.

That goose last year was good, but nothing beats a hot turkey fresh out of the oven -- cooked on the day you plan to eat it.


The town was supposed to have a new grocery store by the Thanksgiving holiday, but it looks like that deadline is going to slip by without the sale of fresh turkey and fixin's for the feast of thanks.

So, maybe these birds should be more cautious.

...or, maybe not. Then what would I photograph?

Morning Visitor

I was having my morning green tea today and noticed from the window what looked like a red fox. He was in the road then began making his way up the lawn.


I ran for the camera. Ok, I'm a city girl in the country but I am certain I will never tire seeing the local wildlife.

This is the first red fox I have seen in the neighborhood. He came right up to the house near the iris bed.

I was really glad I had kept the cat in this morning. Does a fox eat cats?

I guess only the fox really knows.

Fall in Kentucky

This group had a lovely Sunday afternoon south of Lexington, at a strange, historic commune called Shaker Village. We had a great time, the weather was perfect and the food at the restaurant was pretty darn good - but really BIG (my fat belly proves it).

I have really nice kids, huh? oh, and not to forget Aunt Mae, she's pretty great, too.

Animated

Don't you just love this face and her expression? This is our henna artist. She is explaining a little about the tradition of the henna ceremony to this teacher.

Henna day

The school held a henna demonstration yesterday, the artist did a lovely job. She worked quickly, explaining that sometimes when a henna artist paints a bride, she will hide the name of the groom someplace within the design, and it will be his job to find it. She said it is sometimes so well hidden in all the detail it is nearly impossible to see the name.

Bricks and stones

I have finished all the layers in this section and today I planted chrysanthemums and pansies, not doing the mulch until after this photo. If I were an ogre I might say that it looks delicious and that layers give complexity to the project, but I'm not. Let's just say the layers keep the dirt from sliding down the hills, which is what really matters here.

Mulch smells, did you know that? Not like dirt or fertilizer but more like something dead. Hopefully that doesn't mean that my plants will be dead soon....guess I have to wait and see.

The State of Things

Wow, are the ponds ever dry, especially the back one. Notice how cracked the ground is, and it rained most of the day today, too.

The front pond suffered less. It still has plenty of water.

Both are full of froggies, who hid, then resurfaced while I sat and watched. They look so cute with their eyes poking out of the water looking at me.

Constitution Day Speaker

Look who I met today.....any guesses on his identity?

Next Tier

I finally managed to get the next tier done on the front flower bed.

What do you think? It won't hurt my feelings if you want to criticize it or give suggestions for improvement. Really, it won't. At least, not much.

Playmate

Bailey has a playmate, this squirrel I got years ago at a thrift store. She carries it around the house. This morning, after I got up at 6 am and let the cat out of the laundry room, I decided to lie back down in bed but I left Bailey out. When I woke up, this squirrel was in bed with me. I guess Bailey wanted to play and I wasn't cooperating.

Click the picture to see just how animated Bailey gets with this thing.

Porch swing

I discovered today that Bailey likes the porch swing. She likes to sit on it, but she also likes to climb the chains. I think she likes it because she can sit close to me and still see the squirrels, which were out in multiples today. She thinks she is a great grey hunter, stalking squirrels from behind the maple tree.

Silly cat. No one takes her seriously.

the Clock

My dad's clock is finally here. My mom and sister brought it (a story for another time). I couldn't decide where to put it, but after several moves I have decided that this is the best location for it. The little clock next to it will find a new home in the dining room once the Grandfather is brought to life.

The weights are not on yet. The clock man called yesterday and will come some time in October to level and oil it, and get it put together.

I tried it in three places; dining room (looked pretty good there too), the cubby behind the couch (just outside this picture), and here.

Do you like where I put it?

Stone wall

This is the retaining wall I am putting in my garden. The bricks are heavy, which is why they hold in the dirt. I can't decide if I want to put another layer of them up higher, sort of in tiers, or just organize my planter like this.

Opinions?

Name that bug

Stevie and Alan dropped by the house a couple of weeks ago and immediately noticed a close neighbor of mine.

They were fascinated by this bug, as I was. I didn't know its name until they couldn't stop talking about it (remember, they are the ones who don't like cockroaches). So I looked it up.

Turns out that this insect is known as a velvet ant, but another name for it is 'cowkiller.' I didn't know that when I decided to catch one some hot afternoon - I wanted to see if it had a stinger because, in nature, the red bugs and animals are always poisonous.

Turns I was right - luckily I was wearing gloves and didn't find out the hard way.

Velvet ants are really wingless female wasps - they can't get away from their mate unless they run like mad (GASP!). They are loners, and lay their eggs in the nests of other ground dwelling wasps, and parasitize them, so in a way, they are helpful. They only sting if cornered (so wear gloves if you have to look up close). They really are lovely, but they got their name from the painful sting they dish out. You won't die though, only wish you had.

I wonder why people say that animals don't have the ability to see color? If that were true, why are poisonous animals and insects red?

Whose is this?

I was looking through my iPhoto library today for a picture of the Cowley house (which I somehow lost interest in) and ran across this ...... does anyone know who it belongs to? The boxers look familiar.

Since Alan doesn't wear boxers this can't belong to him.

Who's on my chair?

Andy likes being the center of attention, so when he woke up from his nap one day recently and discovered another creature there who was also fuzzy (and not drinking beer) he wondered what had happened to his world.

He is still wondering. Since he has been introduced to Bailey he now realizes the expectations attached to her presence. The only thing he has to look forward to when she is home are bedtimes, when she is reliably locked in the closet.

Life doesn't get any better than that. Well, at least not until Michelle gets home and the cat goes away.

Road Trip

Stevie and Alan should make a career out of moving to (or from) Ohio. This time it is Stevie's turn to relocate - and on the way they stopped in to see me and to drop off Michelle's car.

They did learn one valuable lesson; never stop and eat in a diner where there are dead water bugs on the floor. After such a stop, Stevie discovered a water bug (which was really a cock-roach - I have no idea why he calls them water bugs) between his toes while he was driving. It must have climbed up his pant leg and hitched a ride, trying to escape the diner death trap where they had eaten.


Did I mention that Alan is seriously afraid of these bugs? and did I also mention that both of them nearly jumped out of the car while driving 80 miles an hour? This photo was taken just after they found the roach.

They did finally pull over at a truck stop, where they drew many odd looks by manly truckers and police. Just imagine two boys freaking out over the presence of a cock-roach.

No, they are not gay.

Silly Uncle Stevie

Nobody plays like silly Uncle Stevie. He has a particular affinity to this car; his gramma had one when he was a kid and it alway fascinated him.



Some things never change - except of course, a person's size.

Oh, and their driving skills.

Little Cowpoke

Last weekend Ethan rode in a horse show. He was on this Tennessee Walker and took 3rd place in his division. He rode all by himself, and was so serious. It is a pretty big horse, even for me.

He sure looks the part, doesn't he?

There Goes the Neighborhood

When I got up this morning I noticed movement just outside my bathroom window. This fellow was eating clover, on the lookout for threats or observers.

He (or she) seems to reside on the premises without any intention of relocation. His presence won't do much for a garden, but he sure is cute.

Too bad success isn't measured on good looks.

They look a little like a meercat, only fatter.

Easy day at the Office

I spent the day taking tutorials for MS Access, since that is the primary database tool we currently use and I know very little about it. I know this easy schedule isn't going to last, but I am really enjoying it while it does.

I took this photo of myself with my iPhone. Gotta play whenever I get the chance. :-D

New Office

My new office. Many people have already told me they are jealous. Where I am standing is a door to the hallway (no window). Opposite there is the door to the courtyard (which does have a window). The window you see is another larger window. There is quite a bit of space not visible in the picture. There are two large file cabinets somewhere near my standing spot and another at the end of this desk in the forefront. Not bad, huh? Of course, I have already cleaned up a bunch. Now all I need are a few plants.

Kitty Antics

And this is what I get when keeping the kitty locked up all day. She got into the living room and immediately found the flowers (which I don't like much anyway). Her attention span kept her busy for about 20 minutes - at which time she was removed to the outdoor patio.

Click the picture to see a short movie of Bailey's behavior after a lonely day in the laundry room. (it might be a little dark)

Wild Turkey

No, I am not offering drinks. I am showing you some of the creatures that appear when you leave the rifle in the house.


These fellows reside in the front pasture (and this picture does nothing to depict their true size). Sometimes they bring entire flocks with them, with the entire front lawn dotted with gobblers.

Notice how tall they are; second rung on the fence line - it amazes me every day I see them.

Potter Party

Some of us like to do things that others seem to think are a bit 'geeky.' Now, why do you suppose people might say such horrible things?

The Borders Party to celebrate Harry Potter 7 was a good excuse to dress up like characters from the books. We celebrated in appropriate costumes, Michelle working hard to make them believable without spending very much money. We looked REALLY good. :-D


We weren't the only ones who thought we looked good, either. In fact, Michelle and William won the costume contest at the Cerritos Borders (and $10 gift cards each), not as a couple, either. They were selected separately because Mad Eye Moody and Belatrix La Strange just looked so good.


Of course, we DID finally get what we went there for - just after midnight. We were some of the first in line.

Andy needs relief

Andy was frustrated because we wouldn't let him get to Bailey. He ended up getting kicked out of the house and couldn't think of anything else to do.

She kitty

Upon our visit to the vet today, it was discovered that Bailey is a 'she' kitty. The vet didn't notice it at first either, but upon further investigation the discovery was made that we will be spaying Bailey instead of neutering her.

Being awakened from a compfy snooze in the laundry basket to be groped by a stranger wasn't Bailey's greatest expectation.

She might have had to take out her frustrations on my patio furniture.

Good thing Bailey is such a versatile name, huh?

Cranberry Chai Iced Tea

My newest brew: Cranberry-Chai Iced Tea w/lime

First, brew a pot of drinkable iced tea - I use 1 Green Chai Tea bag and 1 Black Tea bag - makes about 1/2 gallon of tea after you let it sit a while in the steeping pot. I keep a container of this in my fridge most of them time and is good even with no added ingredients.

Then, get yourself some Cranberry Juice. I use the Diet (5 calories) since I am watching sugar intake. They also make a low-Cal style (40 calories) which has a lot less sugar and tastes great in drinks. Of course, there is always the regular, but the sugar is so high so be careful if you are watching sugar, calories or weight.

So, to make this tea, get a good sized tea glass. The one pictured here is 12 oz. Add about 1/2 cup of Cranberry juice, a squirt of lime juice (unsweetened is what I like), and then fill with your Chai Tea; all on the rocks, of course, with a twist of lime. This particular concoction has an added flavor; 1/2 a shot of Peach Schnapps, just to give it a peachy flavor, and not too many calories.

Tastes great after a day on the freeway, a hot day in the garden or or even during a thunderstorm.

Cicada Craze

Does anyone know if cicadas bite? Bailey was having a great time with this one, until when he pawed it once, it latched on and he squealed a funny kitten squeal. I just wondered if it bit him or only scared him. It was his first cicada. He found a giant stag beetle last week, but it was boring compared to this insect.

A Happy Cat

You're looking at a Happy Cat; a proud and strangely sappy cat.

This is how he spends our vacation. Yesterday he was on the tractor all day, today it is the mower and vacuum. It is strangely relaxing to mow the lawn, I usually do it, but he didn't give me a chance this time, he started before 7 am.