For Jeff

Thanks for letting me play with your photo, Jeff! Photoshop is an addiction of mine. I think I need a 12-step program! The peacock shot was great, and I couldn't help myself. I didn't do much though. I just did a "defog", a little levels adjustment and boosted contrast and saturation....and voila....the colors were there just waiting to jump right out at you! Great job with the camera.

Another Oldie!

Some time ago, I told Ms. Jan that I would dig these pics up to show her, and since we have family visiting from NC for at least the next couple of days and I didn't get a chance to snap a picture today....I thought today would be a great opportunity to do so.

I had thought it was blue birds that built a nest inside my mom's topiary just outside our front door, but, as it turns out (guess my memory is going), it was mocking birds. I took the picture of the eggs in June of last year, and the babies hatched in July. This post was also inspired by my friend Amanda, who also posted a photo of a bird nest and eggs today...so check out her blog with the link to the right. She's an incredible photographer and has the cutest kids.

Don King?!

A card I made with one of the photos at my mom's request.

&*%$#@!!!!

I'm so &*%$#@ at this dog that I could just kill him! He is just destructive. He ate a chair on our front porch, and then ate every single cushion out of the wicker furniture out there (there were three big cushions). Mom finally took the wicker love seat over to Bill's house so that maybe the dog would stay over there. He has destroyed the love seat AND has eaten every single banister off of Bill's front porch. Oh, I kid you not!! This dog is lucky to be alive, and I can assure you that he won't be (alive) if he puts even a tooth mark in one of our banisters...my dad will make sure of that. He has scattered trash throughout our yard and Bill's yard on numerous occasions. Yesterday he chewed up a second pair of Riley's Crocs ($60 worth of shoes in a month's time!!!). Riley took his shoes off outside and put them in his wagon (where they put their shoes so the dog won't get them.....seems the plan is not foolproof).

The dog belongs to my sister-in-law, but I'm accepting applications for a new owner....as if anyone in their right mind would take him!!!!

And just in case you were doubting my word about him eating the banisters...I'm providing proof. There are three banisters still remaining in the picture, but I assure you that he has since taken care of those too.

HAPPY EASTER!

I hope everyone had a wonderful Easter with their family! We started the day off with Sunday School and then went to my Mammaw and Pappaw's for Easter lunch. The kids had an egg hunt and ate way too much candy! We're even gonna try to find room in our bellies for some leftovers here in a bit. I just wanted to share a few pictures from our day!

See ya back here tomorrow, same time, same place, different photo (hopefully!)!!!

In Honor of Teegan...

I frequent a website for scrapbookers (www.scrapjazz.com), and it has become a very close-knit little family in many ways. There are many wonderful ladies there (and even a couple of guys, believe it or not!). Sarah, one of the members of the website, lost her 2-year-old daughter, Teegan, to a very aggressive virus (RSV) just before Christmas last year. The kids in Teegan's family are assigned eggs by color so that everyone is sure to get the same amount. Teegan's assigned egg color was purple. So, in honor of Teegan and her family this Easter, here is our tribute egg. This egg was dyed this afternoon by my youngest cousin, Hogan, who will turn 3-years-old on Easter.

God bless you and your family this Easter, Sarah.

A Favorite

I think Frogmore stew must be my all-time favorite food in the whole world. I love it....especially the crab! I love blue crab for the taste, but it is a heck of a lot easier to get your fill on snow crab legs...with a lot less work too! We had dinner at my Mammaw's house tonight and boiled up some Frogmore stew. For those who don't know, it's boiled crab, shrimp, sausage and corn-on-the-cob. Some put potatoes and onions in their stew, but I think it's just fluff stuff...and makes it all slimy too. For me, the crab is the star of the show, and I sure ate my share of it tonight! Yummy!

I Am Blessed!

to have a sweet, generous, loving little boy to call my son. If Riley says "I love you, Mommy" once a day, he says it forty times, and he says it every day. Even when he's mad at me he'll say, "I am very very mad....but I still love you, Mommy." (Don't get me wrong...there are the times that the inevitable "I don't love you" comes out...but those are infrequent and in the heat of the moment.)

Today, while playing at cousin Hayden's house next door, Riley picked me some "flowers". He brought them in to me and said, "Mommy, I picked you some flowers, and they sure do smell purty". I do believe it was the biggest and "purtiest" weed bouquet that he has ever picked for me.

A rose can say "I love you",

Orchids can enthrall,

But a weed bouquet in a chubby fist,

Oh my, that says it all.

-unknown

Thank you, Lord, for this most precious gift.

Another Willing Subject

This is my dad's dog, Roxie. She is a Weimaraner/Lab mix. She is spoiled rotten and a true lady of leisure. She lays around all day, and you'd think she was dead. The only time that she actually "perks up" at all is when my dad gets home from work. When I say that she "perks up", I don't mean that she runs around all frisky like any normal lab would when their "master" comes home. I simply mean that she GETS up. That's about the extent of her day. Must be nice, huh?!

Soothing Sounds

Why does the sound of running water act as a sedative? I don't know, but it does! I love the sound of running water...and especially love a good rain storm. Before I moved, my room was just off the back porch, a section of which was uncovered, and the sound of the rain hitting the uncovered porch was soothing music to my ears on a stormy summer night. Now, my room is off the front porch, which is completely covered, and I don't get the great rain sounds. This is actually distressing to me! LOL. I've even thought about getting one of those huge indoor water fountains for my room, but I have no idea where it would fit....or how I would keep the kids out of it! However, my mom recently found a great deal on a water feature at the local Habitat For Humanity Restore. She has set it up on the front porch just outside of my window. I can hear it all night long, and I love it. It's not as good as a rain storm...but it'll do in a pinch.

[Public Service Announcement: You may want to reconsider having a water fountain around all the time if you're on a diuretic for blood pressure control...it will definitely increase the frequency and urgency of your trips to the bathroom! LOL!]

Are You Sick of Flowers Yet?!

Sorry to be so redundant by posting pics of even more flower photos, but there has to be at least 200 different kinds of flowers in our yard....most of which have just recently migrated in from the nearby Lowe's Home Improvement! I was working this afternoon and noticed new flowers just outside my bedroom window. Flowers are so easy. You don't have to coax a pleasant expression out of them. They don't whine and beg you to put the camera away. You don't have to bribe them for a photo (or threaten them!). And best of all, you don't have to chase them down before snapping a quick photo! Besides all that, I think these are my favorite flower photos yet.

A collage or "storyboard" I made with the photos. The individual shots are below.

Another Quickie!

Today was super busy with work, a baby shower, family down for a visit, etc., etc., etc. , but I did manage to snap a picture just for the blog. These are some flowers my mom has planted alongside the driveway. I don't know...they seem a little more purple in real life...so maybe my white balance was off, or it was the lighting. They're still rather pretty so they're getting posted anyway, wonky color and all!

Killin' Eggs!

We dyed Easter eggs at church this morning. A friend and her son came out to join in on the fun, and she shared a funny story. Judy told Micah (4 y/o) that they were going to dye Easter eggs at Riley's church. Micah was confused because he didn't know how something that wasn't alive could "dye". So, Judy explained the difference between "die" and "dye". Micah's dad called, and Micah immediately told his dad "We're gonna go kill some eggs!". LOL. Thought it was funny.

Anyway, here are a few pictures of us killin' eggs this morning! Ms. Jan was there too and had her camera, so there may be some similar pics popping up on her blog!

Waiting on the blue.

Another Riddle...

for the local bloggers? Do any of you recognize this location? The first picture was taken yesterday. The second picture (with Riley in it) was taken at the same location on 4-3-06. You can see how much earlier the trees bloomed this year, as they were still in full bloom a week later last year and nearly finished blooming yesterday when i took the picture.

My Take...

on a subject already covered by another local blogger! Shelia told me at church Sunday that she thought it would be neat if we (the local bloggers) each took pictures of the same subject and posted them. One subject with multiple perspectives. Since I had already planned to take pics of the Old Burnt Church and Ms. Judy has already taken pics at the site, I thought we could use that location for the "challenge". Now it's up you, Ms. Jan and Shelia, to get over there and snap some pics!

DUCKS!

Yes, I'm posting even MORE ducks, but these are babies! We spent the day at my Mammaw and Pappaw's on Sunday, as I stated before, and we didn't come home empty handed. We came home with four baby ducks (presumably for each grandchild and one for mom) Hayden took one home (and returned to pappaw's for another to keep it company)...and now we're down to two ducks?! I wonder where that other duck got to?! I hope Bailey took it home!

The yellow and black duck in front is Riley's. I'm not sure if he ever definitively decided on a name. Webster, maybe?

Flower "Bed"

This is a Flower "bed" that my mom is making in the back yard. I'm sure that my dad is thrilled to see it going in...but oh well, he said the backyard was hers. He did the front yard and has a hissy fit if he sees any color going in. He's all about shrubs and evergreens...boring! Don't get me wrong, it looks fabulous and has taken lots of hard work...but you need some color here and there too! That's where mom comes in. Anyway....here's the "bed". It was my old bed. No wonder she was pushing so hard for me to get a new headboard in my room....she had her eye on my old iron one!! By the way, it was white when it was in my room...not this turquoise color that she has it painted now.

Hold Your Horses!

We spent the day at my Mammaw and Pappaw's house today. Pappaw was hitching his horses up, and since he's been wanting me to take some pictures of them I grabbed the camera and snapped a few. He's teaching them to pull a wagon as a team, and today was the first time they had been hitched up together.

Good Gravy...

but the bugs were horrible this afternoon!! The weather is great, but the bugs just have to ruin it for everyone! I got "out" with the camera today, but I sure didn't stay out long. Bailey was a willing photographic subject today...so I went with it. Just a couple of quick ones before the bugs chased us away. It's hard to hold your camera still when you're scratching your scalp bloody from those darn gnats!

Now if I could just get her in some cute little girl outfit....

Another Spring Photo

'nuff said! I will get out and take photos tomorrow afternoon! I will! I will! I will!

Tub Therapy

Riley was still puny today. He didn't even go outside, which is VERY unusual for him. In fact, the only place he did go was back and forth between the couch and bed. Poor guy. I got him to eat about 5-6 sips of soup today, but that's about it. I did talk him into getting into the tub this afternoon in hopes that it would help him feel a bit better. I didn't think I'd get a picture today because I've been stuck on the couch with him all day, but I talked him into a couple while he was in the tub. I got these when I was drying him off. I just wish I hadn't cut his chin off in the first one...and the top of his head in the second.....but that bathroom is so small that my 50 mm just doesn't give me a lot of room. I still like them.