Till October 24th

I am not sure you want to watch this or not....it is sort of hard to stop once you start...I found this through one of my Kim Komando newletters.  It is a live puppy cam of 6 pitbulls and their mommy...well, mommy isn't there all the time.  And it is supposed to run until October 24th.  I have been watching for at least 20 minutes and one little puppy has not stopped...it is the little black one.  I have yet to see Mom though.

I am wondering what Lorelei will think....oops, just now seeing Mommy.  I guess I should tell you that she was a rescue in southern Los Angeles.

Repeat?

Not sure if I have posted this...doesn't matter.  I like the view and being that I am in a hurry, going to use it anyway.

We will be heading to get Lorelei here shortly for a couple days...so our weekend will be busy.  I don't think she knows she is coming yet.  Sarah cannot mention it till she is ready to come or Lorelei drives her crazy.

Sarah was busy the other day and Lorelei comes in and says, "it's okay...I didn't do anything."  So Sarah ask her what did she do....she just says, "it's okay, I didn't do anything."  About that time Jeremy comes and asks what Lorelei done...she had been telling him the same thing.  So they searched till they found she had got a drawer pull off.  But those are words you definitely don't want to hear sometimes...thankfully this wasn't anything bad or messy.
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We had Puss Puss to the vet this morn for her sneezing...it has never gone away.  It would get better at times and almost be completely gone only to start again.  She doesn't have a temp, doesn't have a runny nose, or matter in her eyes...but the vet is letting us try antibiotics this time. 

We got her shots, and her antibiotics and came home poorer by $126--though I guess anyone that can spend that much on a cat could not really qualify as poor.

After all these years....

Yesterday Roger got a little MP3 player and we got to adding music to it...oh, what memories.  It was like taking a stroll down memory lane for both of us I think.  Certain songs I played a million times while working at the orchard...oh, there is a long list of them...too long to put here....others are from our early years together and before there was an 'us'....Neil Young is in that category....some is before our time together.  For me that would be Merle Haggard and some Rolling Stones...

Anyway, that got me to looking for some songs just to see if I could find them in  MP3 format...and just looking at music in general.  Of course I looked for this one song that I have looked for ever since we got the computer....I have a cassette on which I taped it from the radio.  I heard it a few times back then, but never heard who sang it.

After years of searching, I discovered it was by In Pursuit...so I continued to search. I was searching to find the album it was on, searched you tube...just anything.  I had all but given up, but every so often I would look for it again.

Just a few minutes ago, thought I would try it again just for fun...did not find a digital version to buy but did find it on You Tube!!!! I still love it...after all these years.  I don't expect anyone else to love it...but let me tell you I was ecstatic to discover it there waiting for me.

From a few weeks ago

I am going to show you the deer we saw while at the Heron Viewing station last time we were there...the one north of Danville, Illinois.

 She just did not seem to concerned with us.  We were not far from her at all.

She finally strolled away.  I did not notice the 'things' at the top of her shoulder till I downloaded the pics and enlarged them

You can see them better if you right-click on the image and chose to open in another tab or window.  I've not ever seen anything like it.  Roger says deer get injured and get sores, etc...but these are two strange places to my way of thinking.

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I went fishing again out at Universal...I caught 5 or 6 large-mouth bass but all were really on the small side.  But was still fun to catch.  I fished for a couple hours and ran through the strip pits. 

It is just so strange out there.  I seen a Blue Heron and an Egret, and that is all I saw.  I may have seen two or three birds flying, but that is it...and I really don't remember seeing any.  It was as if I were on another planet.  I did not see meadowlarks, nor blackbirds, nor anything moving at all.  Not even a single deer.  Which almost any time we go through there we see something...a pheasant or a deer or a hawk.

I saw the one Northern Harrier a time or two about a month ago, and have not seen it since.  I have not see a short-eared owl yet...and haven't seen an eagle out there in ages and ages.  So I am beginning to wonder if it has all found some other place to go.

This is another from out at the strip pits...after someone reminded me on my post here, I think it is smartweed.  The leaves sure look like it, too.  I assume the above is not as mature as that in the photo in the link above.  I had not thought of smartweed in years..I have never seen any this big.  I was not bending over to take the above photo and and I am 5'3" tall.

We are going to see Sarah so am just scheduling this ahead...I don't have photos on my netbook that I take with me there.  I am trying to pack things now to get ready to go so unless I get time to add to this before it posts, it won't say much.

I will say I have made a start on the backing for the latest red/neutral log cabin quilt.  It will take a bit of time to make so don't hold your breath.  I did not go buy new fabric...I am using what I used to make the top itself.  Hopefully I will get busy when we get back and get it all together.

That is it for now...I will visit when I get back home.....

Overcast and rain...

Even though it was overcast, I headed out to the strip pits this evening...with a stop at a strip pit in Universal.  I stopped there to try to get some photos of water lilies/seedpods.  Even though I know they were there this spring, there wasn't a single one still growing...I don't know if it was the heat or if their life cycle normally ends early.

Since they weren't there, I snapped a few pics of leave, goose, and flowers...not the one above.  And then put the camera away and got out my trusty fishing pole.  I just wanted to throw in a few times from the boat ramp...it is basically the only place to get to the water.  Wouldn't you know, I got a hit right away.

Ended up I stayed there probably 45 minutes or an hour....I caught 4 Large-mouth bass and a big bluegill, plus I had two on that dove down and went through the moss and got loose.  And of those two, one of them just had that heavy, heavy feel.  Of the 4 bass I caught, a couple of them were really nice sized...oh, not a lunker or anything that big.  But still nice...one was just on the verge of being what I would call nice, and the 4th was just a youngster.  But I could have fit my fist in the mouth of the other three.

Fishing is like good medicine for me...it is good for my soul.  It puts me at rest...it really makes me feel better.  Whether I feel bad physically or down in spirit.  It is probably a combination of I am focusing on fishing, and not something bad.  And also, I am just enjoying nature.  While standing there fishing, there was a turtle that kept poking its head out...an egret flew over....I heard a kingfisher...and then the pair of geese that live there was there.

Anyway, left there to swing through all the rest of the strip pits.  I just crawled through the area...had one car pass me.  Didn't see another car till I was up close to where I leave the area...I glanced in my rear view mirror and there was a sheriff's car behind me...I pulled on over to let them by and they pulled up beside me, me with no seat belt on, and ask if I was okay...I showed him my camera and told him I was just out taking photos....so he said have a nice day and went on.

I was so thankful he didn't say anything about the seat belt...but he could see that I was just crawling along I suppose.  And not  like there is any traffic out there...sometimes I go and see three or four cars...sometimes just one or two, and sometimes none.
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We have had some really hard rain tonight...with some thunder and lightning.  But the important thing is the rain...it really has rained a lot at times.  And the way things are, every little bit helps.

Old editor gone...

I wondered what I was going to write about and when I clicked to do a new post, up pops the new editor.  I have only glanced, but cannot see a way to go back to the old editor.  I so wish I could.  This is not horrible, and there are actually things I like about it. So will just keep at it with this.  For now.  When I post.  I seem to have lost my blogging pizazz...and I don't know why.

I have been thinking a lot about life...and feeling like I am driving into the sunset of my life.  I am not exactly sad...just really thinking.  And no, nothing is wrong or going on that is bringing these thoughts on.  So wondered if any of you think about these things.  I assume it is something everyone goes through as they age.

I think about how it will be for our two girls...and for Lorelei.  At least if I died tomorrow, Lorelei would remember me.  I think.  I don't think Sarah would let her forget me. 

And do you ever wonder what will stand out your children's memory of you?  I have no idea what the girls will think of when they think of me.
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It is late in the day and I have a big pot of hamburger vegetable soup cooking...I was craving it so bad so just decided to put it on and that be it.  It has been going for a couple hours so hopefully will be done soon.  But will be much better tomorrow.  There are certain foods that are just better a day or two after they have been cooked...or else to let them cool down and set at room temperature for a while.

Fun times

We ran over to see our daughter and family yesterday and spent the night...this is Lorelei and her second cousin...as you can tell they are having a grand time. And do you see what they are playing on? Just a plain old cardboard box. And they have played and played on it. But the time it is thrown away, it will have provided hours and hours of entertainment.

When our girls were little, we would go to the appliance store downtown and get them a box every so often. They had more fun with them than about anything you could buy. I am not sure if all appliances have given up the cardboard boxes, but the last two or three appliances we have bought have come wrapped in plastic...
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We got up to a definite chill in the air yesterday and today. Today has gotten a bit warmer than yesterday. I could at least be outside with just a long sleeved shirt...yesterday if I was going to be out for any length of time, I had to have on a jacket.

I definitely feel winter closing in....I do know fall hasn't even officially begun. Nevertheless, I feel winter nipping at my heels. I so wanted a long fall....still hoping to get one. But it won't surprise me if we don't.

Things eventually work out....

This is the little log cabin I have been working on...for a while now. I would get a little done then either not be able to work on it, or not be in the mood to work on it. But at long last the top is finished....but I still have to decide what to use for the backing and get it made.

It seems that no matter what I wanted to do to finish it...I would be lacking. I used the same fabric for the center of each block....
And I used it for the inner border...and I wanted enough to use for the binding when done. So ran over to Lori's Pins & Needles to get more. They didn't have it, though I am just about positive that is where I got it. So finally decided on a different fabric for the binding.

I had decided to do one style of border but when I auditioned it, it didn't look right...but did like the look of a wide border around it from a single fabric. The fabric I chose...I thought I had plenty of it for 6 1/2 inch strips...I needed 5 to go all the way around the quilt. I didn't measure to see how much fabric I actually had...did not have enough for the fifth strip. I did not want cornerstones, and actually could find the fabric on line. But didn't want to wait for it to get here so took the last bit of fabric that was left...it was probably 4 or 5 inches wide...cut the lenght in half and sewed it to gether and got a 6.5 inch wide strip that was pieced together...21 and 1/8 inch long...I measured very carefully and it in half...then added each to the last two strips of fabric...

And I first pinned them....I knew it was going to be close as to whether I had enough or not even then...but guess what? The first one I pinned on fit exactly. And so did the second. Now sometimes I first measure and then cut the strips, but others I just sew them on and cut off the extra length. I have not had problems doing it either way.

Anyway, the top is done, now to decide on what material to use for the back...that may take some time.

I wrote a song for you.....it was called Yellow

I can't help but think of the song Yellow by Coldplay when I see all the yellow...it must be the chosen color for fall.
I hope you click on these to get their full glory...
though it may look like the butterflies were cooperating, I really had to chase them around to get some decent shot. But at least they didn't fly completely away.
I tried and tried to capture a Monarch with the wings open but just could not be quick enough to get one when they moved from one place to another.
Even the Buckeyes flitted away almost every time I got near.
Still, aren't they gorgeous!

Yellow world returns....

I did not think I was going to get to see the seas of yellow this fall...but with the return of rain, the flowers popped up in the usual spots out at the strip pit. Oh, I so love to see the patches of bright yellow here and there. They are alive with bees and butterflies and insects.
Notice the background in the shot below...see the green!!! Look back at this post.....that hill is the same hill in the background, just a hundred yards or so on north.
The other side of the road is this weedy field...I happened to glance over and this is what I saw.
Can you believe the rack on that thing...he was quite a ways away. I had my lens out to 300mm...so I am thinking he was at least a 150 yards away...maybe more. I am not a judge of distance.
Here I cropped one of the photos till you can see the mass of the antlers. That is one big boy!
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We messed around yesterday...we ended up driving through the strip pits and coming home. Then later in the evening, we headed to Mansfield...to try fishing. First we fished in the tailwaters of the main dam. Roger caught a couple, and I caught zero...not one single thing. Then we headed to fish below the mill at Mansfield. I caught two....but that was it. Water is so low there.
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We have had a little rain this morn...everything looks fresh and green. I am not sure what we are doing today. Maybe nothing. Which sounds good to me.

Lorelei at the park

Lorelei's mom and dad had something they had to do Saturday and Sunday, so they spent the night here Sunday night...and Lorelei stayed on to spend Monday night and Tuesday night with us. We took her to the park/playground yesterday.
As you can see here she had a good time...
She played and played and played. This after a night of crying out in her sleep and getting me up and she cried and cried and was mad at me.....then got up yesterday morn all giggles and smiles. Just happy to be alive. We think she has dreams/nightmares, but not sure. She had did the same thing when her mom and dad were here and was screaming that she wanted her rocket. She made no mention of a rocket the first night with me...

Anyway, like I say she got up in a totally refreshed mood...we ended up taking her to the park for a couple hours. I think it is the first time to ever have it completely to ourselves for any lenght of time.

Then that afternoon, she was watching Tom & Jerry on the computer and playing with crayons. I had given her paper to draw on. I came back in and caught that she had been writing on the back of the chair with the crayons. I told her not to be writing on Mamaw's things. I can't remember exactly how it went...she said something like "I'm not...it's my chair! See it says so right here--Lorelei Rose T-----!" and pretended to write on it. And her eyes just gleamed. I didn't crack up then, but I did later. She is too smart for words.

Scenes from Saturday at McCormick's Creek State Park

Every year our family tries to get together for a little family reunion...yesterday we met at McCormick's Creek State Park. Lorelei's cousin, Jackson was there from Tennessee...
They ran and ran and ran and played and played. They are close to the same age and just play so good together.
I love this one of Lo and her daddy...you can sure tell she feels safe in her daddy's arms.

A no photo post....

I should go take a photo of a clothes basket, but am too lazy to do it. But just have to tell you that that is and always has been one of Lorelei's favorite things. I cannot even think of all the ways she uses it.

She gets under it and crawls around calling herself a turtle or a snail....or she hides under it. We always used to pretend we couldn't find her.

Or else she gets in it and wants a quilt or fleece blanket thrown over it to completely cover it and her. Sometimes she takes a stuffed animal or doll with her and that is part of her make believe..other times she wants us to find her.

Still others, she puts pillow in the bottom and gets in, stretches her legs out, and takes a fleece blanket and snuggles back to watch TV. (It is one of the rectangle ones.) Or she will turn it upside down and sit her dollhouse on it.

Oh, and sometimes I turn it upside down and have her sit on it in front of me while I comb her hair. Who would ever have dreamed a child would get so much fun out of something so ordinary. It is due to her vivid imagination...you can just look at her sometimes and see the wheels turning.

I just wondered if anyone else's grandchildren have something like this that they play with constantly that is not a toy.

Looking for something to post....

This is another song that is one of my all time favorites....does it make you feel sort of melancholy and sad and happy all at the same time.

I sat looking through photographs last night and got so sad for times past...even though they brought back good memories.

Then to top it off talked to Sarah, and Lorelei was hardly interested in talking to me...did not even greet me with I LOve you Mamaw...didn't say it at all...at first...then before Sarah and I hung up, I asked to talk to her a minute and it was I love you Mamaw--can I come to your house? Sweeter words were never said...

Come on over to my pad....

It was a misty day when I took these...the above shows lily pads up at the Heron Viewing Station. It is just amazing to actually see all of them. I think they are gorgeous plans and sure would love to have a way to grow them here.


I do not know the name of the above plant...hoping someone here will tell me. I think I have seen it somewhere on someone's blog but cannot remember the name. It is at the edges of the marshy area up there. The leaves are way bigger than my hand...
These last two photos are of the bloom--before and after it has bloomed.

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I cannot seem to get back to posting regularly....no excuse. I have just simply been being lazy for the most part.

I have been sewing some...I am making a small log cabin quilt. It will either be to use as a table topper or a small lap quilt. It is in reds and off/white tans. I have 16 blocks made and sewn together. Now I have to put borders on it. That will take a while if I stick with my original plan. I have to look and see how much fabric I have left to see if I have enough to follow through. Anyway, I am wanting to get that done...I have plans to give it to one of our daughters. Just hoping she will like it.
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One of these days I may have a quilting partner....Lorelei always wants to go down in the basement at least one time when she is here to mess with sewing. She wants to sew but does not have the control to press the foot peddle to sew slow, and it scares her when it sews so fast. (I have control of the fabric when she is pressing on the foot peddle.) So she sits and plays with the pins and likes to clip threads for me.

Another week come and gone

I always love to see photos of cows under trees, but the photos I take are never great. Yet there is just something restful about them whether they are good or not. Just seeing cattle resting and chewing their cud makes everything seem right with the world.
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Our little Toot stayed two nights with us, cried when we told her it was time to go home...told Papaw as he put her in her carseat that she was afraid she was going to miss her Mamaw. However, she was his constant shadow those days.

I don't have a lot to tell, but will tell this little incident. She wanted to sleep with me so I let her. Now what you don't know is a lot of us in our family like our back tickled, scratched or rubbed. Lorelei is following suit and most nights wants her back scratched a little bit before going to sleep.

The first night she wanted me to scratch her back. I told her she first had to scratch mine...just wanted to see her reaction. She says, "Mamaw, do I have too?" and I tell her yeah...and we go back and forth with it...she says, "Mamaw, I have an idea!" I asker her what it is.

Now this is not her exact words, but it was something along the lines of 'First you can scratch my back and then later you can scratch my back'....I cannot for the life of me remember her wording...but her meaning was just that...she was totally leaving out the part of her scratching my back...and she just giggled when she said it and said something along the lines of How do I like that idea? She is just too smart for words.
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We are finally getting some much needed rain...has been raining steadily all morning long.