Five Fact Friday oops I mean Saturday

I thought I might try and play along with Kim's "Five Fact Friday"  Think I will list something rather benign....5 favorite drinks since last week I did nothing but complain.

1. I think a good cup of coffee is at the top of the list.  Nothing gets my motor started better in the morning than that first cup, or the 2nd or the 3rd....but that's all, just 3.  
2. In the evenings I like a nice glass of wine...discovered Muscato recently and am lovin' it.  But it's not fun drinking alone.  When my Mother lived with me, we enjoyed a glass together almost every evening at 5:00 PM, sometimes a little earlier, sometimes a little later.  My sweetie never drank anything alcoholic, he was allergic to alcohol, would break out in hives, so until my Mom moved in with us I rarely drank a glass.  Now that she is gone, I still carry on the tradition, altho not every evening. 
3. A good old fashioned chocolate soda with vanilla ice cream is my idea of a yummy treat.  I haven't had one of these in years, not too many places have "soda", mostly shakes and smoothies are the treats of today.  I have recently discovered "Red Mango" a smoothie place in our downtown that makes the best banana, strawberry, peanut butter, yogurt smoothie.  I am sure it is much better for me than that chocolate soda.  
4. I love Dr. Pepper, not diet but regular.  Growing up in the south where Dr. Pepper got it's start I remember the Dr. Pepper building with the big clock with the 10 2 and 4 highlighted...in other words...Dr. Pepper is good any time of the day.  Unfortunately as I have aged and sleep evades me, I have really cut back on drinking caffeine during the day.  After my coffee in the mornings, I try to stay away from caffeinated drinks.  
5. A frozen margarita can whet my thirst along with some chips and salsa...ahh a nice evening treat or at lunch, not picky.  

                                            

"Who, being loved, is poor?"  ~  Oscar Wilde

Until next time.....

While Passing Away

There is no season in all the year so beautiful, so radiant with glory, 

as the early autumn.

There is no time when the human soul drinks in so fully 

the glory and beauty of nature.

All objects of beauty are more beautiful while passing away from us.

The closing up of a beautiful life - the fading of the

holy stars in the dim light of morning - 

the ending of a quiet summer day and the passing 

away of the bright summer glory,

are all more sweet and lovely 

as they are lost to us.

The death-glow always beautifies anything that

wears the trace of beauty ere it goes back 

to nothingness.

We do not understand the secret of this principle,

yet we know that it is some law of the infinite mind.

                                                                                 ~ The Northern Advocate

Linking to

and Sarah's..... Orange You Glad It's Friday (for some odd reason the badge would not copy)

Until next time.....

A Walk In The Fall

A simple walk around the neighborhood provides me with all the glories of the changing seasons.   

   

Linking to Nancy's "Rural Thursdays" and Deb's "This or That Thursdays".  

"Delicious Autumn, my very soul is wedded to it. and if I were a bird I would fly about the earth seeking the successive autumns."  ~  Robert Louis Stevenson

Until next time...

Christmas???

I can't believe that I am actually thinking Christmas this early.  I know some of you probably have your Christmas shopping complete and packages wrapped and I certainly envy that tenacity, but remember I have that sign in my kitchen that says "Procrastinate Now".  Actually I am thinking more in the line of making some gifts with my bazillion photographs.  My friend, Marti has asked me to join her "art/craft" show in November with some of my photographs made into cards etc. and I thought 2013 Calendars with my photography would be a good choice.  I have been searching all of the digital web sites for 2013 calendar templates....if you have ever made one from scratch you know why I am looking for templates.  They are slowly beginning to make an appearance, hopefully by Oct 1st many will burst upon the scene.

Right now my plans are to make 3 different picture calendars....Barns, Flowers, and Tea Cups/Mugs.  I have many, many, many pictures of all of these subjects.  Here is my first attempt....This is an 8 1/2 x11, not huge, but not so small that you can't hang it.  Feedback welcome.

I have been glued to the TV set this week, checking out all the new shows on the scene.  And with Dancing With the Stars running for 2 nights at 2 hours a piece, that takes a big chunk out of the evening. And in my opinion (spoiler alert if you haven't watched it yet) Pamela Anderson so deserved to go home, she really didn't even deserve to be there with all those excellent dancers....just sayin'.  I have been taping them all so I can at least zip thru the commercials.  Last night I watched Ben & Kate, The Mindy Project...not sure about either one of these.  Neither one brought an outloud laugh from me.  I also watched Vegas, the new one with Dennis Quaid as a 1960 ish sheriff in Las Vegas.  Interesting, will wait till I watch at least one more before I decide if this will become a "must watch" for me.  How about you, have you watched any new shows that you consider a "must watch" yet??

OK, must run, almost time for another new one..."Animal Practice" about a vet that can talk to the animals....hoping it's a good one since I do love animals.

PS....piles are still in place, Bible Study, lunch with a friend, and shopping with a little photography on the way home keeps those piles from disappearing.

"If it weren't for the fact that the refrigerator and the television are so far apart, some of us wouldn't get any exercise at all."  ~  Joey Adams

Until next time....

Partings, Filters and Corn...Huh??

Oh it's Tuesday and it's 10:15 AM and I have been up since 7:00 AM.  Have I accomplished anything in the 3 hours I have been up....now you know the answer to that...NO.  Every night when I go to bed, I think, "oh I am going to get up early and really start on cleaning out that closet, or go through all the papers in the office, or take the dog for a long early morning walk." ...oh I am such a loser.  I never do any of that.  I guess I get an A for at least thinking about it, but a definite F for no follow through.  You know living alone has it's advantages, but it also has it's downfalls.  There is no one here to get on my tail for not getting things done.  Now my sweetie was ever so patient with me and very rarely said anything about my housekeeping skills???, but ever once in awhile, when things begin to pile up, he would kinda lose his cool and let me know that the piles were beginning to bug him.  That would get me into action and everything would be back on track again.  I guess I need someone to lose their cool with me to kick me into action again.  Out of town company is always a motivator....anyone want to come visit?  Believe me, I love a nice clean, no pile home, but sometimes it's just not.

Anywho...today is Texture Tuesday over at Kim Klassen's and she, in her continuing generosity, presented us with a new texture last week entitled "partings" and asked us to please use this in our entries this week.  So here is "partings".  Sunday I snapped this hawk circling a field high above, scouting for critters in the farmfields.

While out in the country I always like to stop by this barn for an image or two.  I call this my go-to barn and I manage to take pictures of this in every season.  The sky was incredibly blue on Sunday, but using a polarizing filter on my lens really, really helps in bringing out the blue in the sky.  I know that plenty of you must read Kevin and Amanda's blog, she always has great trip images, good food photography, free fonts on occasion and wonderful hints and tips.  Today she talks about filters and how they can enhance the colors in your landscape photography.  Hop on over and give it a read.  And as you can see in the deep blue of the sky, polarizers definitely work to bring out the deepest blues and lush colors.

I am going to have to stop talking about the corn crops pretty soon.  But below is the sadness that happened this year due to the terrible drought.  OK, I am done, no more corn shots.

OK, that is definitely enough ramblings for one day.  Please do join Kim and enjoy all the many entries using her "partings" texture.

                                   

The Wright Brothers created the single greatest cultural force since the invention of writing.  The airplane became the first World Wide Web, bringing people, languages, ideas, and values together.  ~Bill Gates

Until next time.....

It's Monday and Some Recommendations

I hope you had a pleasant weekend.  I did and a pleasant Monday as well.  Friday evening Catherine and I went to hear Don Piper who wrote the book "90 Minutes in Heaven".  I am sure you have seen this in the bookstores, it was on the best-seller list for many many months.  Don explained to us the events leading up to his death, his 90 minutes in heaven and his remarkable recovery from physically dying and his months and months of recovery time.  He is quite a remarkable man that tells an amazing story of the events.  Without the power of prayer and his faith in God, this story could never have been told.  If you ever have the opportunity to hear Don Piper or to read his book, I would encourage you to do so.  It is thought provoking and filled with his strong faith and the amazing power of prayer.

Yesterday I went to see my sweetie who is doing well.  He was in good spirits and wanted to walk.  And walk we did and fast.  Round and round the corridors we went, turning and moving around chairs, pausing only briefly and then back to walking.  He is still in wonderful physical health, but the mind continues to fail.  Yesterday he called me his buddy...I will settle for buddy, better that than nothing.

Driving home I turned down a road or two to try to capture the farmlands as the crops fade and the land is no longer producing.  Many fields have already been plowed under and farmers are harvesting the corn for feed.  Another growing year is coming to a close with hopes of a better year next spring.

After visiting my sweetie before heading home, I stopped by my daughter's for a brief visit, she is so busy at this time of the year that I don't see her that often, and as I was leaving I looked up to see the tree in her side yard beginning to turn golden, a bright blue sky, and the half moon high in the sky.  This is SOOC, look at those brilliant fall colors...

Yesterday, I planted the pots on my front porch, filling them with fall flowers.  Instead of mums, I planted pansies since it is early and mums don't seem to last too long after blooming, where pansies continue to bloom all through the season.  Maybe I will pick up mums later, but for right now it's pansies.  Added some ornamental peppers to give some added red pop and another dark leaf ornamental pepper whose berries eventually turn bright red.

And today was movie club with the girls.  We went to see the new Clint Eastwood movie, "Trouble With The Curve"...another great one..highly recommend this movie and it's not just about baseball.
 
                                                 

So that's it, my good weekend and good Monday.  Tonight the official new TV season begins and I am ready.  Dancing With The Stars and Castle...two of my favs are on tonight.  What are your favorite shows that you are looking forward to seeing?  And fyi, I decided to do a catch-up and watch all the episodes of "Homeland" on Showtime that I had taped and I am glad that I did since it won best actor, best actress and best dramatic series last night at the emmy.  Another one I would recommend.  Excellent acting with taut stories of homeland security and America's fight against terrorism in the US. So that's it...I have recommended a book, a movie and a TV series.  Do you have any good recommendations??

Linking with Trisha over at Bluff Area Daily for Barn Charm.

"Every leaf speaks bliss to me, fluttering from the autumn tree."  ~  Emily Bronte

Until next time.....

The Week That Was - Weeks 35 & 36, 2012

Oops, skipped last week....I think I just forgot so another catch-up week.  I am getting to the point where if I don't write things down, I forget...bad me.  Anywho....here are weeks 35 & 36.  Big changes from summertime to Fall.

"Dreams are the seeds of change. Nothing ever grows without aseed, and nothing ever changes without a dream."  ~  Debby Boone

Until next time....

Scavenger Hunt Sunday - The Sept 23,2012 Edition

Oh this is a hurry up post...been really busy with just stuff, you know stuff.  Anyway, didn't want to miss this week since my blog buddy Michelle of Michelle Renee Photography is the sponsor this week over at Ashley's Scavenger Hunt Sunday.  So without any more ramblings, this week's prompts are:

• Cracked
• Fallen
• Ordinary Color
• Bokeh
• Fence

Toby "cracked" a yawn just as I snapped his picture....

This "nun" (really my granddaughter, Bailey in a silly mood, and no she is definitely NOT a nun) really has "fallen" off the wagon.

The colors of fall are "ordinary colors" in my home at this time of the year...(oh for cryin' out loud, look at those dirty windows....note to self, wash windows)

Dug this out of my archives but it sure says "bokeh"....

And finally "fence"...the Sweet Autumn Clematis" is at it's glory growing on the fence this time of year.

OK that's it....hop on over to Ashley's Blog and check out all the other's...fun stuff.

Until next time.....

My Sunday Best with Nancy

I am excited and honored to be partnering with Nancy over at A Rural Journal in presenting "Your Sunday Best" this week.  I have been a fan of Nancy's for almost the whole time I have been in this world of blogging.  She is one of those truly down-to-earth kinda gals that relays that warm country feel to all of her posts, makes you feel that you are sitting at a table in her kitchen having a cup of coffee and just chatting about whatever.  Join us today and every week about this time for "Your Sunday Best".

I just finished reading a wonderful book entitled "The Language of Flowers" by Vanessa Diffenbaugh and along with enjoying the book, I learned that flowers do have a definite language, each meaning something different.

For instance....did you know that pansies mean "think of me".

Or that sunflowers mean "false riches"  Personally I think sunflowers equal happiness, but I didn't write the dictionary.

Geraniums mean "true friendship"

Dahlias are "dignity"

The pink rose means "grace"....each color of roses have different meanings.

And finally the zinnia,  "I mourn your absence"

So the next time you give flowers to a friend, a relative, or a lover you might just want to check the "true meaning" of that flower before presenting.

Please join us this week by linking up your favorite photo for "Your Sunday Best"

Until next time...

Five Fact Friday - The Loss of Patience Issue

Five Fact Friday has been on my to-do list for awhile now.  I guess I just couldn't come up with 5 facts that I figure would be interesting for others...but after thinking about this here I go.  This summer our Bible Study group, while on break from study, met at Barnes & Noble each Wednesday for coffee/tea and chit chatter...  And since we are a Bible Study group we decided to focus on the Fruits of the Spirit over the summer and share how we captured those "fruits" in our daily living.

Since "patience" is our nemesis (everyone of us) we left that fruit until last and also allowed for the most time to try and bring more patience into our daily lives.  So with that being said, I am sharing five "things" that test my patience.  I would venture to say, many are on your lists as well.  These are in no particular order, they seem to all try me equally.

1. Always, always getting in the wrong line at the grocery check-out.  No matter how many lines there are to choose from, I always manage to get in the one that needs a "price check" .
2. Women who refuse to get up an extra 15 minutes early to put on their make-up at home in front of their bathroom mirror instead of using the car mirror and endangering the lives of all around her. 
3. A wet newspaper, disrupts my morning ritual...
4. This one has been solved by the I-PASS, but driving up to the toll booth and being behind the person who doesn't begin to search for his money until he is stopped, holding up traffic for blocks.
5. And finally, having an urgency to "go" to the bathroom, rushing to find an empty stall, scrambling with your purse and packages, finally getting relief, only to discover there is no toilet tissue ARGH!!  
6. And I am not even going to mention the loss of patience I feel with "certain" cell phone users. 

And one more fact....I LOVE FALL!!

Owls are "big" this year...this face captured my heart.

Stopped along the road and gathered handfuls of these gorgeous branches with bright red berries.

I don't do alot of "Halloween" decorations, but I couldn't resist this cutie.  

And I love the shape of pumpkins and their stems...

Please join me and read more of "absolutely nothing" at my collaborative blog Focusing on Life.

After reading back over this post, I am not sure these all fall into the "patience" category or if they are just irrations...maybe both, anyway there are 5 of them or 6 and they are facts about me.  

 'Patience is the ability to idle your motor when you feel like stripping your gears."  ~  Barbara Johnson

Until next time.....