Monday, May 18, 2009

turquoise

Apples for Poppy Anne photographic treasure hunt...turquoise. "I have come up with this: once per week {mondays}, I will give any of those who wish to participate, a photographic treasure hunt of sorts. It can be a private experiment or it can be a public affair of your choosing."

I looked about for turquoise, and thought I didn't have any.

Then I *really* went searching...

and I found turquoise in bits, here and there...

On my coffee mug...
In the fraction tiles....

which are seldom used for fractions...the squirrels use them for some sort of game with dice; I've not been able to understand their instructions so far. ; )

on books...and on the "Buddha Bag"....turquoise is such a cheery color, I wish I had more of it around!

'Twas fun searching out the bits of color in my life!

Thanks for the inspiration!

Seventeen Years Ago Today...

I wasn't "the baby" of the family any more.

I spent the first part of the day in a hospital waiting room.

I cried the first time I held him.

I was afraid I'd drop him, so I held him on a pillow.

I swear...he seemed SO tiny!

He was the most wonderful gift I'd ever been given.

He has never disappointed me.

He is absolutely the sweetest fellow I've ever known.

I could still tell the story of choosing his name.

He's never once complained to me about it. ; )

He is awesome!

He is responsible.

He is sweet.

He is kind.

He likes money in the same way I do.

He likes clothes in the same way our sister does.

He is looking more and more like my older brother every day.

He's almost an adult.

He drives now.

And he has a girlfriend.

I don't see him nearly as much as I'd like anymore.

I miss him when I don't get to see him.

When I stop by his school for some other reason I snoop around until I at least spot him.

I will cry when he gets married.

I will cry when he has kids of his own.

Heck, I'm crying writing this out!

He's my baby brother.

And I love him like he's my own child.

Even though he's not so much a child any more.

I told him he wasn't taller than I was until he could kiss me on top of my head.

One day when I went to visit, he walked past and kissed me on top of my head.

He's so much taller than that now I can barely kiss his cheek standing on tip-toes.

He's gone to a track meet thing this week....and I don't get to wish him a happy birthday in person, although I did when I gave him his birthday money last week.

Happy Birthday, Baby Brother!

Do you have any idea how much I LOVE YOU!??!

Saturday, May 16, 2009

I can SEE my Desk!

My desk BEFORE:
And my desk AFTER!
I am SO thrilled I have it cleaned! Now I can use it...already I've cleared out a drawer for papers I need to go through...hopefully I'll be motivated to actually sit down and read them and decide to keep or toss them. ; )
In other news.....I was playing catch-up on the mending, and found a pair of Daddy's jeans. I thought it wouldn't be worth my time to fix them...they won't fit anymore!

He's only half the man he used to be, but I still love him. ; )
(We won't discuss what that says about my mending pile...)

Sunday, May 10, 2009

A Lovely Mother's Day

This morning when I got up there were three cards and two gifts on the table waiting for me.

This one is from Anna. (Translation:
I love you so I made a poem for you.
_______________
You know & I know
You are not old,
And I love you
More than silver
and gold! )

This is one of my gifts from Emma...isn't it sweet? : )
They also had decorated the living room mirror with hearts.
We went out for lunch, and when we got back home I received one more gift....
... this is the first year this particular peony plant has bloomed, and it has LOTS of buds! I am SO thrilled it bloomed on Mother's Day. : )

I relaxed on the porch and read for a while, enjoying the sun and soaking up the GREEN!!! I LOVE SPRING!!! You know how Scrooge McDuck dives into his piles of gold coins? I want to be able to do that with the green on the mountain! ; ) It thrills me every time I see it.

I made Cream of Spinach soup for supper...it turned out really good, but neither girl would eat it because of the color. Emma said, "You don't want to know what I think that looks like." lol
It was good enough that I had two servings! I made it from scratch, too...starting with picking the spinach from my garden. It took about 2 1/2 hours from garden to stomach. I'm still considering whether or not it was worth it. lol 2 1/2 hours is a lot of time to spend on one pot of soup only half the family eats!

From cards and gifts to lunch out to a new flower to a yummy supper...it's been a good day. : )


Thursday, May 7, 2009

The Meme for Today

Adopted from Dawning's blog .

1. If you were to kill a man, horror movie style, which kitchen utensil would you use?
**I guess a knife...I've never really thought about it before.

2. Did you ever swallow a coin?
**I did, when I was about 5 or so. I was under a church bench, during service, with a nickel. I popped out from under the bench and said, "Mom! I put it in my mouth and it went down!" She told me to go back under the bench.

3. What was the worst gift you've ever received?
**On my first birthday we were together, Daddy bought me a cake with red icing. I'm allergic to red. That was awkward. ; )

4. What is your most embarrassing childhood memory?
**Coming out the church door, pausing dramatically in the doorway to make sure the boy I liked was watching, then slipping and falling flat on my butt.

5. How many kids do you want?
**I'll keep the ones I have.

6. Whats your moms middle name?
**She doesn't have one.

7. Have you ever operated a fire extinguisher?
**I don't believe so.

8. Worst car you ever had to drive and why?
**Hyundai...need I say more?

9. Who do you hate?
**Hate's to strong a word for people. Some I greatly dislike, but I don't believe I *hate* them.

10. What do you hope to have accomplished by the end of this year?
**I would love to have a new house.....although that wouldn't really be *my* accomplishment...

11. Do you have any really crazy relatives?
**In my family everyone is crazy. Some are worse than others, though.

12. Did you ever wake up under the influence of NyQuil, completely unable to move?
**I don't believe I've used NyQuil since I was a teen.

13. Are you feeling nostalgic right now?
**Not really...a bit hurried, maybe, but not nostalgic.

14. Did you own a Lite-Brite?
**I believe we had one once, a used one without many pieces.

15. Can you dive?
**I'm too scared to try. I don't swim that well.

16. Do you own a mouthpiece for anything?
**I don't think so.

18. Have you ever used a pogo stick?
**I bought one at a yard sale and Daddy threw it away because he was afraid the squirrels would get hurt on it. : ( I like a pogo stick every once in a while.

19. Who was the most creative bum you've ever met, trying to get some money from you?
**I don't remember, because I've never listened well enough to hear. (I tend to ignore people.)

20. Whats your favorite Jelly Belly jelly bean flavor?
**I don't know. I'd have to have them all lined up, with labels, and seconds or thirds of the best ones...

21. Favorite food you CRAVEEE?
**Fruit!

22. When was the last time you pulled lint out of your bellybutton?
**I do not know....sometimes after s** I find someone's chest hairs in there, though. lol

23. Did you ever use someone else's toothbrush?
**Only accidentally.

24. Do you REALLY floss everyday?
**Yes. I REALLY do.

25. What is your favorite cologne/perfume you always wear?
**I don't always wear any perfume. In fact, I very seldom wear it. But if I do, it's exclamation.

26. If you were on Double Dare, would you take the physical challenge?
**No.

27. What's the largest living organism that you killed?
**I ran over a dog once...it was dreadfull! Such a thud!

28. Did you ever take a lighting bug and smear its guts on your arm so you get a cool glowing effect like war paint?
**Only when I found them already dead.

29. What's the best toy you've ever gotten in a McDonalds happy meal?
**I like those little dolls...Madame Alexander...

30. If you could be anywhere in the world doing anything right now what would it be?
**I'd be on a beach, enjoying the water.

31. Can you juggle?
**No....I've always wanted to learn, though. Anna is learning. She's getting pretty good, too.

32. How do you feel right now?
**Like I should be getting in the shower, instead of being online.

33. Do you remember that square candy bar called "Chunky"?
**That's said like it doesn't exist anymore. Doesn't it?

34. Predict the length of the next Peter Jackson movie.
**Tell me the length of his last three movies, and I'll try to make a reasonable prediction.

35. What was your favorite toy as a kid?
**Either a dingeley apple or a cow that mooed. It would be difficult to choose. lol

36. Are you willing to go the distance?
**I'll go until my feet hurt. ; )

37. Did you answer question 17?
**I slithered right past it without a second thought. Not really....having Dawning's answer made me look.

Wednesday, May 6, 2009

5-5-09

We were kidnapped again yesterday....this time I had planned on a quick trip to a greenhouse....but since we were so close I thought I'd run by my dad's grave for a minute, because I don't get up that way often.When we left the cemetery, Daddy turned left, instead of right. I'd only been to the left once in my life, and vaguely remembered greenhouses in that direction. They were in poor repair and rather disreputable-looking now....but we pressed on, turning right at the end of that road, then I don't know how many more times we turned and turned.....until we finally had no idea which county, or even which state, we were in at times. We helped a few turtles off the road....this one's a snapper, and he was SO agressive...he came after our toes and Daddy laughed at us, because we squealed and scattered. lol
There were several barns with these painted quilts...Appalachian Quilt Trail ...they're so pretty.
(I don't believe this is a barn...it was in the middle of a little town we went through.)

Saturday, May 2, 2009

I don't know...maybe it's the Vitamins?

I am waking up earlier and earlier lately. First it was 8, then 7:30, then 7:10, then this morning I woke up at 6:30. I've not been napping mid-day either...I've had a mid-day nap for *years*. I started taking a multivitamin a little over a month ago...I wonder if that's it? Or maybe it's just SPRING! I LOVE SPRING! ; )

My squirrels spent the night with my mom last night, so it's just me and Daddy today. He has plans...free comic day, an antique bottle show, yard sales....I am hoping to get dropped off at a used book store while he's at the comic shop. :D