The LONG Journey to the Fair

Catherine and I made plans to go to the Sandwich Fair (Sandwich is a town about 20-25 miles from us) today.  It was one of those picture perfect days.  Deep, deep blue skies and clouds that just begged to have their picture taken.  And the temperatures were just about perfect...in the 70's.  Bliss.

I picked up Catherine about 9:30 AM and drove to the gas station to gas up before heading out.  As soon as we turned into the gas station my car started making this terrible noise like I ran over something or I had a flat tire.  Stopped the car, both of us out of the car ready to find out what in heavens name I ran over.....nothing.  Drove a little further, eeek horrible noise continues.  OK, now what to do.  Look thru my auto stuff and found that I had purchased some car protection plan that provides towing...aha.  Call, and they show up within 1/2 hour....amazing.  In the mean-time, Catherine walked back to her house because we were just blocks away and picked up her car.  And to think if this would have happened on some country road way out in the boonies...that thought brings shivers.  But we weren't and I thank God for that.

I call my dealer to give him a heads-up that the car is on it's way and he says, no chance they would get it fixed today since they are totally booked.  OK, that's fine, didn't expect it to be fixed today since it was a Saturday and by the time they towed it in it would probably be after 11:00 AM. Just please let me know how long they estimate it will take so if need be I will rent a car.  OK!!

Catherine and I continue on our journey to the fair, stopping along the way taking barn pics, fence pics because as I said the sky and clouds just begged for a photo shoot.

Finally reaching the fair....

Walked around, ate....there is no way you can go to a fair and not eat...

I guess we need to be reminded wherever we are....

After we had our fill, in more ways than one, we decided it was time to head for home.  We stopped at the grocery on the way so I could pick up a few things just in case I would be without a car for awhile.  As I walked in the door my answering machine indicated I had a message.  My car was repaired and I could pick it up.  Oh yea!!!!  Only problem we were just about 10 minutes too late to pick it up today.  Gotta wait until Monday now, but that's OK.  I have food in the house so I am good.

Linking to Madge's Weekly Top Shot
And to Nancy's Sunday Best

"People see God every day, they just don't recognize Him."  ~  Pearl Bailey
Until next time....

It's Texture Tuesday and More

Out watering the front yard flowers for about the umpteenth trillionth time this summer I saw Aaron and his Dad walking home.  Aaron stays at a small day-care here in our neighborhood so every evening Dad walks to pick up Aaron and then the two walk home together, slowly but surely.  I quickly grabbed my camera again, and began to snap away...how could one resist a charmer like this, especially with his little cap.  He steals my heart he is so darn cute.  

Busy gathering fallen berries...important work.

Look out ladies, here comes gorgeous!!

After spending the day inside, again, I did manage to make some progress on finishing my bathroom projects.  Today I put the final coat of primer on all the drawers, cabinet and doors of the vanity that will be painted black, changed out the hardware on the yellow bathroom vanity, hung curtains in yellow bathroom and washed a couple of loads of laundry.  So this slouch got a little something accomplished today.  Not as much as I wanted, something always pulls me to grab my camera and take a walk around the garden.  And then ofcourse I have to come back inside, download the pictures and then begin to edit them, oh my I do get distracted....

A little distraction....I have never seen a bug like this, it is a wowzer!! I wouldn't mind having a piece of jewelry or a scarf with these colors and patterns.  Nature is amazing.

And another ball jar, this one smaller than my other two.  Picked it up at the same place I bought the others, a little antique store in Elburn, IL.  It's a hoppin' place, pieces going in and out all the time.  Saw several items there I could easily have brought home, but resisted.  I used my new Ball Jar on this week's challenge at Texture Tuesday.  Kim challenged is to use 2 or more of her wonderful textures on one image.  And that I did...1st layer Linen Look at linear burn 58% opacity, 2nd layer French Market at color burn 62%.  Erased the first layer around the flower at 11% opacity, desaturated and lightened the whole image after adding the layers.

And finally, again with Kim in her Beyond Layers class, she has challenged us with fence week, fences all week long.  I have always had a place in my heart for fences, any kind, any shape so this will be fun for me.  I was really glad there was a fence separating me from this bull, he definitely had his eyes on me.

"If you always do what interests you, then at least one person is pleased."  ~  Katherine Hepburn

Until next time.....

Fence Friday

I love to photograph fences, don't ask me why, just do.  I think it started when I joined Flickr last year and came upon a weekly challenge entitled Fence Friday.  Gorgeous fences are displayed each Friday, but since I began the Big Picture Classes, blogging, various challenges, etc, I just can't do it all.  I don't know how young mothers keep up with doing all that they do and sleep too.  Maybe that is the answer, no sleep.  Sometimes you have to pick and chose, not that I want to.  If you are like me you want to do it all.  Maybe I like fences because they remind me that "the grass is not always greener on the other side." or not to let fences stop me from finding joy in the everyday (metaphorically speaking).

“A woman's dress should be like a barbed-wire fence: serving its purpose without obstructing the view.” ~  Sophia Loren



“Throw your heart over the fence and the rest will follow” ~ Norman Vincent Peale

“The wide world is all about you; you can fence yourselves in, but you cannot forever fence it out.” ~ J.R.R. Tolkien

“It doesn't matter which side of the fence you get off on sometimes. What matters most is getting off. You cannot make progress without making decisions.” ~  Jim Rohn

“Careful as a naked man climbin' a barbed wire fence” ~  Cowboy Proverb

“There are three kinds of men. The one that learns by reading. The few who learn by observation. The rest of them have to pee on the electric fence for themselves.” ~  Will Rogers  (Had to add this one, so true)

"If you strive for the moon, maybe you'll get over the fence."  ~  James Woods 

“The grass may be greener on the other side of the fence but you still have to mow it.” ~ Proverb Quote

I decided to add this to a new challenge....this week's challenge is Yellow

Some of these photos were obviously taken on my trip to Colorado.  Other's are just a few of my older stash.  Hope you enjoyed my Fence Friday. 

Until next time.......