Merry Christmas!

The twinkling lights of our tree on Christmas morning.

My Birthday Party

The best party ever!

And yes, Gypsy really does have lasers for eyes. It's her secret weapon.

Farm House in Davidson, NC

Donna took me to the college town of Davidson for my birthday lunch on Wed. We drove by this old house that we have loved for decades. Someone is now living in it and it's decorated for Christmas! We were thrilled for the old girl.

Much to be thankful for this Thanksgiving Day!

Our boys -
Josh, Nico, and Tony

The Sound of Autumn Winds

Calling all birds...

...juicy red berries for the picking.

Came across this...

...little Fairy Village on my walk this morning.

H A P P Y * H A L L O W E E N !!

There's GOLD in them hills...

This tree screamed, "Take a photo of me!"
And I couldn't resist.














These guys are just showing off








Piper Glen Lake

Something pretty

Lovely Mums grace our table today

Patio Today

My Bistro table and chairs found its way back to me & I'm thrilled! I sit here most afternoons under my kayak which whispers seductively to me:

"We could paddle together any time..."

Patio Then

View of my patio earlier this spring.
Adequate.
Nice quiet place to sit, have a glass of wine and chat

It's been years since I've paddled!!

I guess you can see how happy I am to be on the water again.

Maine is a State of Mind

This is my third trip to Maine. Once again I had a magical experience.

I accompanied Paula on a visit to her 1st Mother-in-Law.

Previous trips have included Donna and Susie. I missed them terribly this time, but I bravely carried on somehow.








This is the view from Betty's house.

I could gaze upon this every day...








Down by the shore...

It's possible for a rogue wave to crash over the roof of this house.

It has happened within memory of the current residents.









Typical Maine shoreline, yet it felt like there was nothing typical about it at all.

Lush and Green

The canopied path around our lake.

Invitingly shady for a summer stroll.

Straight and Narrow...

...should be reserved for railroad tracks only.

Behind the church

Old moss-laden Live Oak and a marker of Christian burial.

Give me that olde time religion

The Methodist church in Ravenel, SC on a lazy Saturday morning. We sat in the shade of the porch & watched a freight train rumble by.

Ringing My Doorbell

So, this little tree frog came a'callin one day...

Good grief!
Where has the time gone?
Here we are in August already.


Interesting cloud-mix from my back door.

Honkers !!

Little Goslings... just arrived!

Our Home

It's good to cast shadows.

It's proof we're here!

April 15th

Dark clouds mirror my mood on the anniversary of my brother's death - the sun reminds us that life goes on.

Exciting Discovery

I was reading an interesting blog the other day called: 'Spiritual Evolution of the Bean' authored by Biffybeans.

One of her Mandala Making Posts caught my eye. She described the process as a meditative exercise hidden within an art-form.

It's a tool for reflection and introspection.

This is my first attempt. I invite you to try it too.
-

Walking the dog this morning...

...and came across these sweet little wild flowers growing in the field.

To me, they favor Pansies in appearance.








Although they look larger than life here, they are only about the size of a pencil eraser.

On the way to Atlanta...

...we spied a Giant Peachoid in Gaffney. They sure grow 'em big in South Carolina.

Apologies for the unattractive electrical wiring.

Whiplash!!

A Star of David peeks out from under our fence.

Spring at last?

We'll see.

Eeeek!

What happened to spring?

A little surprise snow storm in March...

Spring is nigh...

...for the Robin and Forsythia herald it forth.

A Little Construction Project

I designed and built a bench to go in the laundry room that will hold 'outside' shoes & boots. It's also sturdy enough to sit on while putting on those shoes & boots.














Step 1: Get some lumber, cut it and nail the pieces together.















Step 2: Add some more pieces. Pause and admire.















Step 3: Set the assembled pieces in place and hope the shoes and boots will fit in their little cubby spaces.















Step 4: Prop your feet up & rest. This project is difficult, time-consuming & stressful.















Step 5: Paint primer on the raw wood. Do this outside so the toxic fumes will affect everyone, not just the craftsperson. Bring the piece back inside and take a photo. Beam with pride - off-camera.















Step 6: After a quick sanding, paint the unit again using semi-gloss paint. Again, do this outside - you know why.















Step 7: Fill with shoes and be grateful that they do actually fit. Publish photos so that everyone can praise your efforts.

Cheesecake Pose

Gypsy enjoys a relaxing moment at the leash-less Dog Park this past Saturday.

A visitor!

A brave little Pidge, looking for some water. I obliged him right after the photo-shoot.

Inauguration Day AND Snow!

I took some photos of our lovely snowy day. It was also Inauguration Day for our new president.

















A couple of inches of snowfall - clearly an alpine experience.












The property next to us is gorgeous.














A wander down to the lake...












Not driving anywhere today!

A Parasite...

Mistletoe is growing in this old oak tree near my home. Even though it's considered a parasitic plant, it holds up its end of the biodiversity and ecological system bargain. I'm intrigued by this plant.

Sunday Morning

Protein!
It's what's for breakfast.