Tuesday, September 30, 2014

Farewell, September. You've Been A Great Month.

September 30, 2014

Good morning.  Tis quite gray and gloomy outside at the moment.  A little rain fell during the night, and I'm sure more will fall before the day is out.  It's 56F degrees, and we're not expecting it to get much higher than 63 today.  September is leaving us on a cool, damp note.

Yesterday seemed to be a busy day, although I don't really know what I did that took up all of my time.  In mid-afternoon, I did try to take a nap, but Pogo had other ideas about that.  It seems that with this wonderful new door and a kitty in the house, Pogo has so much more to bark about now. 

Much to his dismay, Sunshine spends most of her time in Dwarf Helen's room and not enough time running around playing with him.   This leaves him with lots of time to sit by the door and bark at everything that moves outside in the yard.  I'm sure though, that the newness of all of this will wear off soon, and Pogo won't be so "barky" after a while.

I only put a few rows on the country blue afghan, because every now and then my hands and wrists need a rest.  There are only a few more rows to go, (about 14) so this will be finished soon.  Maybe tonight I can finish it off.  I was kind of hoping to have it done before the month was over.  Hmmm, well I still have till midnight tonight to do this.

Today, I have photos of cardinals to share.  I took these photos through the kitchen window.  While the "Mr" is busy checking out the food supply and calling every one to dinner, the "Mrs" is keeping watch from a tree across the yard. 




Note the ropes the "Mr" is sitting on?  These used to be my clothes lines.  Yup, I actually still hung the wash out right up until about the year 2000.  Then the birds took it over.  We decided not to take the line down, and instead hung a feeder and treat cages on it.

Well, time is fleeing and I do have a couple of errands to do today.  It's time to get dressed and get busy.  So, till tomorrow, Y'all have a wonderful day.

Hugs, Edna B.

Monday, September 29, 2014

Pogo's New Door & A Bundle Of Sunshine


September 29, 2014

Good morning.  We are in for another gorgeous day here in my little part of the world.  This morning, it is 63F degrees and soon the temp will be up to 79F.  Oh, I just love it!!!   After today, we are in for a week of low to mid 60's and lots of rain showers.  At least, that's what the weather man predicts.

Well, where do I start?  Saturday, Home Depot delivered my new storm door around 6 p.m.  The nice man even brought it into the house for us and set it up in the front hallway.  Yesterday afternoon, Eddie and Kevin came by to install the beautiful new door.  And it IS a beauty!!   Here's a shot of Eddie and Kevin working on the door.


The door looks rather ordinary, but it isn't.  The whole door is screened, and there are two glass panels, each of which can be moved up and down.  This way, I can move the bottom glass panel up a bit and Pogo can watch everything that's happening outside while enjoying the fresh air.  As you can see, he has his little blanket set up by the door and is enjoying the sights.



We have a large wooden chair in our yard, way over under the trees, and some of the dwarfs enjoy sitting there once in a while with a cup of coffee and a newspaper.  I'll have to take a photo of the chair.  Well anyway, early yesterday morning Joe noticed that we had a visitor who was all curled up and napping on the big chair.  Our visitor stayed like that all day.

When Eddie and Kevin arrived, the visitor came over to make friends with Kevin.  And such a beautiful visitor this was!!  Dwarf Helen and a couple of the guys came out to sit on the front steps and our visitor was soon purring with delight and making new friends with them.

Our visitor was a very beautiful young kitty.  When I went out to pat the kitty, I was horrified that my hands landed on and in between bones!!!!!  This beautiful baby was starving.  One of the guys got it a bowl of water, while another brought out a can of tuna.   Kitty couldn't gulp the food down fast enough. 

Needless to say, there was no way we were going to leave this little one outside to fend for itself.  Besides, she wanted to adopt us.  How could we say no?  The dwarfs decided to name her "Sunshine" because she was like a ray of beautiful sunshine.  After shopping for a few kitty necessities, Dwarf Helen gave Sunshine a bath and set her up with a brand new bed, kitty litter box, food and water.




What do you think?  Isn't she beautiful?  How could anyone leave this little one to starve to death?  Pogo and Sunshine have met and sniffed each other, and are working on becoming good friends.  Things are going to get a bit more interesting around here soon.

Well that's my news for this morning.  So, till tomorrow, Y'all have a magnificent day.

Hugs, Edna B.

Sunday, September 28, 2014

The Storm Door Saga

September 28, 2014

Good morning.  It's 7:40 a.m. and it's 47F degrees, foggy and gray outside.  However, in just a couple of hours it should be sunny and warm.  The weather man says it will reach 85 degrees today.  Woo Hoo!  We'll have one more great day after today, then we're in for a week of cool and mostly wet temps.  October isn't coming in on a very pretty note.

These past couple of days have been busy trying to track down the whereabouts of the new storm door that we had ordered.  Friday, after the longest time over two phone calls to the store, I was finally told that the door was in transit to the store, but that they did not know which day it would arrive.  (at the store)

Yesterday, some one from the store called me with a "gentle reminder" that I still had a door there waiting to be picked up.  According to this lady, the door had been in the store all week since last Tuesday.  Excuse me?????

To make a long story short, once I calmed down, I called the store back and got a department manager on the phone.  After explaining the phone calls from Friday and Saturday, he said he would look into it and call me right back.  In a very short time, he called me back and said that he had found my door. 

Yes, it had been there since Tuesday and he did not know why no one bothered to check it in and call me to pick it up.  Needless to say, I was just a tad bit upset.  To make up for all the hassle, the manager offered to deliver the door to my house before the day was out.  It arrived around 6 p.m. last evening.  Yeah!!!!

After supper, I settled into my lounge chair to watch a bit of TV and crochet.  The country blue afghan is getting very close to being done.  Only about twenty two more rows to go.  There is a young man on my holiday gift list that I think this afghan will be perfect for.


I did do up a few rows with the new Light Fern yarn, and it is really pretty.  However, I'm having a problem trying to find just the right color(s) to go with it.  Hmmm, such a problem!

Joe put the new chipper/shredder together, and we were all looking forward to having some fun playing with it today.  However, after looking it over closely, we've decided to box it up and send it back.  The opening where you put the leaves and twigs in is so small that you can only feed it a handful of leaves at a time.  As Joe said, it will take us a few years to clean up just the leaves  that are already in the yard.  Ah well, we tried.

DIL Janet said she would drop by later this morning, so I should get dressed and do a few chores around here before she arrives.  Till tomorrow folks, Y'all have a wonderful day.

Hugs, Edna B.

Friday, September 26, 2014

A Few Days Of Indian Summer

September 26, 2014

Good morning.  The sun is shining and it's supposed to be just gorgeous today.  At the moment, it is 60F, and should be around 72F later this morning.  Saturday through Monday should be gloriously like summer, and then it will be back to temps in the 60's with maybe a bit of rain. 

Wednesday night was a rather sleepless night, so I slept in as late as I could yesterday morning.  By the time I got up and finished a couple of errands, it was a bit too late to post here so I took the day off. 

Wednesday evening, Janet and Pogo and I went yarn shopping at an AC Moore outlet store.  I did not find what I was looking for, however, I did find some fun new yarn.  Of course!!   I got a really pretty gray yarn, and a light fern green yarn.  Now my fingers are itching to make something new, especially with the fern green yarn.  Ahhh, such a problem!

Sometime today or tomorrow, I'm hoping to go out and get a flu shot.  I think there is a clinic at our Walmart.  If not, I'll look for a CVS.  As long as Walgreen's is giving flu shots to other countries instead of to our homeless I won't go there for my shot.  Sorry, but this is a sore spot with me.

On a pleasant note, a beautiful new rose blossomed in the little garden by our kitchen window.  The colors are just scrumptious!   You can help but smile when you look at this beauty.


I also have a pretty shot of one of the blooms on the pink rose tree.  I did not adjust the color in this photo because I rather like how it looks. 


 I've been working on the country blue afghan, and it is now a couple of rows past the half way mark.  Next week is supposed to be quite cool, so I'll be back working on the lavender afghan.  These two need to be done in time for me to package them up for Christmas. 

 My living room door is open, and I'm sitting here watching our flag gently waving in the breeze.  What a beautiful sight indeed!  Today I need to try on the new things that I bought yesterday.   With all the cool weather we've been having, I need some new sweat pants.  I don't like trying  things on at the store so I buy them and try them on at home. 

Now it's time to get busy around here.  I'm thinking maybe I'll run the vacuum around a bit, and maybe do some dusting.   Joe says that tomorrow we'll try out the new chipper/shredder.  This should be fun. 

That's all the news for this morning.  So, till Sunday, Y'all have a magnificent weekend.

Hugs, Edna B.

Wednesday, September 24, 2014

Tis A Great Day For Shopping On TV

September 24, 2014

Good morning.  Tis a wee bit chilly this morning, only 46F degrees at 8 a.m.  However, it is supposed to get up to about 71F later today.  Tomorrow is supposed to be even cooler with rain, and then the temps will go back up for a few days.

I'm watching the QVC shopping channel, and they are showing the prettiest cookware sets.  The colors of these pans are simply scrumptious.  It makes me wish I needed a new set of pans.  I don't need new ones, but I enjoy looking at these.  The colors are aquamarine, blue, copper, green, red, brown, platinum, brown, black and purple. 

Yesterday, two packages arrived.  One is a Christmas present and the other is the chipper/shredder that I ordered.  The day before, another back-ordered gift arrived.  I've already started packaging up a few things, and today I'll write out labels so I don't forget where each box goes.  It feels good to have a lot of this done early.

Now I really must get busy and choose photos for the new calendar, and design my Christmas card.  Several times, I've started these projects but then I get side tracked and forget all about them.  Time is slipping by quickly, so I really must discipline myself and get these things done.

Well I'll be!  On QVC, they are now showing a nifty fuzz remover.  Now this is something that I can use.  This will be great for removing the fuzz balls off my sweat jacket and pants.  It is also good for shaving the fuzz balls off the fleecy blankets.  Yup, I ordered one.  Up to now, I've been picking these little fuzz balls off by hand, but it can be very tedious. 

A lot of folks have already started decorating  their yards and homes for Halloween.  Here's a photo I took with my phone the other day on my way home from doing errands.  I love witches, so this display really caught my eye. 


DIL Janet will be coming by later today after work, and we are going yarn shopping.  I went on-line to find the location of the nearest A C Moore store.  We use to have one the next town over, but sadly it is no longer there.  I love this store because it has such a fabulous selection of craft supplies and yarn.

That's about all the excitement for today.  Now I must see what I can rustle up for our supper tonight.  So, till tomorrow, Y'all have a fantabulous day.

Hugs, Edna B.

Tuesday, September 23, 2014

How Many Birds Do You Think We'll Lose?

September 23, 2014

Good morning.  It's a wee bit chilly this morning, but the temperature will hopefully rise to about 71F pretty soon.  At the moment it's sunny, but only 57F.  Tomorrow and Thursday are supposed to be the coolest days this week, only reaching a high of about 69F. 

I wonder, is there such a thing as "flip flop" socks?  I don't mean the socks with toes in them.  I am most comfortable wearing my flip flop sandals, but "sock weather" is quickly moving in on us.  Hmmm, maybe my project for this afternoon will be searching on the internet for these special socks.

I've been watching the Weather Channel this morning.  They've been discussing the climate change and how many of our beloved birds are going to be lost because of it.  This is so sad.  I pray that mankind starts changing so that we can keep this beautiful earth and all of it's treasures.

Today's photo is one that I took through the kitchen window.  I purposely don't prune the large rose bush outside my door too much because the little birds love it so.  Here's a little chickadee resting on one of the branches.  Can you imaging how awful it will be without these beautiful little birds?


Today's post is going to be very short.  It's getting late (Pogo and I slept in this morning) and I have a few errands to do today.  Later when Pogo and I get back home, I need to get busy with my crochet projects.  It's almost October and I still have a few afghans to finish.  Seems like every time I finish one, I think of another one that I need to make.

So, till tomorrow, Y'all have a most wonderful day.

Hugs, Edna B.

Monday, September 22, 2014

Welcome to Autumn

September 22, 2014

Good morning.  And a gorgeous morning it is!!  I was able to open our door at 7:30 this morning to let in the fresh air.   The sun is shining, and it's in the mid 60's right now headed for around 72F.  Perfect!!   It's a great way to start a brand new season.  Happy Autumn!

Yesterday we had a few rain showers off and on in the afternoon, but I don't believe we are expecting any rain today.  In the morning, Joe washed the windows in my car.  I have trouble reaching the front and back windows on the inside.  He even vacuumed the inside of the car for me.  Thanks, Joe.  I really appreciate it.

Pogo and I had an enjoyable lazy day.  Either my memory has taken a leave of absence or I didn't really do anything memorable yesterday.  Hmmmm.  Oh well,I keep telling myself "I'm retired, so that's okay".

The afternoon rains made a couple of good sized puddles on the other side of the yard, and the birds had a wonderful time splashing about and bathing.  I took this photo through the kitchen window.  It looks like a huge flock of starlings have found our puddles and they're having a fabulous time.


We also had a whole flock of blackbirds (and grackles, I think) looking for food.  Unfortunately for them, there wasn't very much left in the feeder because the smaller birds had already eaten most of the food.



I guess I really did do something yesterday.  I took bird photos.  And I put a couple of programs on disk for Audrey.  Now I feel better to think that I actually did accomplish something. 

For our supper, I cooked up a couple of rib eye steaks.  Pogo loves these steaks.  I cut his meat up into really tiny pieces before I give it to him.  He also had rice with his steak, and I had spaghetti with butter and garlic with mine.  Mmmm, mmmm.

Last night I crocheted a bit on the new afghans while I got caught up with a few re-runs on TV.  Thank goodness for re-runs.  I don't like most of the programs on TV, but I do enjoy these re-runs of my favorite shows.

Now I think I'll put in a load of laundry.  It's amazing.  I don't go anywhere but I always seem to have laundry to wash.  On a positive note, it's a form of exercise, and that is good for me.  So, till tomorrow, Y'all have a fantabulous day.

Hugs, Edna B.

Sunday, September 21, 2014

Enjoy This Gorgeous Last Day Of Summer

September 21, 2014

Good morning.  It's still a bit cloudy, but the sun is definitely planning on shining down on us today.  Sometime during the night, some winds went through our area, and this morning the ground is littered with leaves.  Summer is gently saying "farewell".

Today is supposed to be quite nice, 75F degrees with a chance of scattered thunder storms.  The nice thing is that I was able to open our door an hour ago to let in the fresh morning air.  Except for one cool day, this whole week is supposed to be really nice. 

Yesterday, DIL Janet came by for some help getting her new phone activated and set up.  Well, that was sort of a fiasco.  She was here for several hours attempting to just get this phone activated, but we kept running into all sorts of snags.  Several hours and phone calls later, she took the phone home with her, deciding to leave it till today to try again.

Why is it that some things are so easy to turn on and set up, while others are just so darned ornery?  If it were my phone, I'd have probably given it the hammer treatment.  I know, it's sad when a little thing like a cell phone can turn an adult into a raving nutcase.  This is why I turn to someone else to do these sort of things for me. 

Yesterday, I took some photos of the two new afghans I'm working on.  I've been using the same chevron pattern on all of my afghans, but I've been changing the stitch pattern on some of them.  (single crochet vs half double crochet, etc.)   This way I don't get bored.  The first photo shows the Country Blue afghan, and the second photo shows the Frosty Green afghan.  Pretty, yes?



 We used to have an A.C. Moore store nearby, but it closed.  I miss this store because it had a fantabulous selection of yarns.  I've located another of their stores a few towns over that was having a huge sale on yarns.  I thought Janet and I might check it out, however yesterday was the last day of the sale so we did not bother.  I'll have to keep a watch for their next yarn sale.

Well, that's about all that's happening here.  It's time for me to rustle up something tasty for breakfast.  Hmmm, maybe some scrambled eggs with green peppers?   I haven't had these for a while.  So, on that note I'll leave you.  Till tomorrow, Y'all have a wonderful day.

Hugs, Edna B.

Friday, September 19, 2014

Ooooh, New Yarn Colors To Play With!!

September 19, 2014

Good morning.  Pogo and I got up rather early this morning.  It seems he used his potty patch during the night and needed it cleaned so that he could use it again.  He's very clean, my little fellow.  Once all that was tended to, we had worked up an appetite so we had ourselves a little snack before heading back to bed.  Unfortunately, sleep was not going to happen for me, so I decided to watch TV and crochet a bit.

Yesterday, Pogo and I went to the yarn store to find some new colors to match a couple of blues that we are using for afghans.  Sad to say, I could find nothing to match what I needed.  So, I picked up a couple of new colors; "Frosty Green" and a really pretty variegated "Aspen Print".   Oh my, these two colors are working up so pretty!  I'll take some photos later today.

Later when Joe got home from work, we went to Walmart to pick up a few groceries.  You'll never guess what I found there.  Yup!!  I found a beautiful variegated yarn that will match one of my blues.  I'll take photos of this afghan too once I work up a few more rows on it with the new color.  It looks like I'm going to be busy crocheting for quite a while. 

Last evening was Parents Night at the High School that Kevin and Jasmine attend.  Kevin had told his mom to look for a picture of him from the newspaper that was on display on a hallway wall. (I put an arrow pointing to the photo)   Of course the proud mama brought her camera along with her.  A lot of really great athletes have come from their city.  Kevin's older brother Bobby earned several awards for Wrestling when he was in high school.  Yup, we are very proud of our young 'uns. 


Today is supposed to be quite cool.  Only around 60F.  Right now it is 46F degrees.  Brrr!  And the nights are getting to be really cool.  Most nights the temp is between 42 and 46F.  It's a bit soon for such cool temps, so I hope this is not a hint of what's coming this Winter.  I've been hearing tales that we are in for a long cold Winter.  Gosh, I hope not!

Now I think I'll head to the kitchen and make a nice hot cup of coffee.   Mmm yes, that sounds like a good idea.   That and my long fuzzy bathrobe should keep me toasty.  Pogo is wearing a hooded sweater, so he's all set till the temps warm up a bit. 

Well that's all the news for this morning.  So, till Sunday, Y'all have a fantabulous weekend. 

Hugs, Edna B.

Thursday, September 18, 2014

Electrical Problems Messing Up A Gorgeous Day

September 18, 2014

Good morning.  Today is to be a fabulous day weather-wise.  Pogo and I are hoping to get out and enjoy the warm sunshine.  First we have to see about an electrical problem that developed this morning.  The floor lamp in my living room has decided to burn out bulbs and trip fuses.  I have already called SIL Eddie, so now we will just wait to see when he can come by and fix it.

I need to make a trip to the yarn store pretty soon to find some contrasting colors to go with the new afghan I'm working on (in between working on the lavender one).  The new one is "country blue" and doesn't really match any of the yarns that I already have.  Yeah, I know.  It's a flimsy excuse to go yarn shopping, but it's the best I could come up with.

I do have a couple of photos to share.  The first one was taken in the little garden just outside my door, and the mums are in a pot by our main front door.



Sometime today, I would like to go to the post office to mail a small package.  Later today, DIL Janet may stop by with her new smart phone for some help in setting it up.  Even if I can't do it for her, Joe will most likely be able to help her.

I also have to keep an eye for the UPS truck.  DIL Janet ordered a new laptop last week, and it is being shipped here.  When it arrives, I'll call Wayne to come by and pick it up.  He will get it all set up and deliver it to Janet at her home.  She needs to update her modem, so he'll get that set up too.

Last night I ordered us a small chipper/shredder machine.  We have a lot of leaves and small twigs to rake up throughout the year, especially in the Fall.  Joe rakes a lot of them up and bags them, but then we never seem to be able to transport the bags to a leaf dump.  Hence, the bags go in the small shed. 

When the shed is full up, the rest of the leaves just get piled up in amongst the tall trees.   This is not my idea of clearing out the leaves.  The new machine is supposed to turn the leaves and small twigs into compost which we can definitely use.  And, we'll be able to use the small shed for the trash barrels again.  At least, this is the plan.

Well, that's about all the news for today.  The birds are chirping outside our door, and Pogo is busy barking at them.  I'll have to hold him up by the door so that he can watch what's happening outside.  So, till tomorrow, Y'all have a fabulous day.

Hugs, Edna B.

Wednesday, September 17, 2014

The Butterfly Light

September 17, 2014

Good morning, and a beautiful morning it is.  Today and tomorrow are supposed to be in the low 70's, and I for one am a very happy camper about that!  Friday will be much cooler, but I will deal with that when it gets here.  It is such a pleasure to be able to keep my door open today.

SIL Eddie called me this morning to tell me that the door I am looking for is out of stock and that he is having the store (Home Depot)  order one for me.  Woo Hoo!   I think Pogo and I are going to enjoy this new door very much.  It will be such fun to be able to watch the birds and small critters without having to walk over to the door to look out.  The bottom half of the door that I have now is solid metal and you cannot see through it.

I got a beautiful message this morning from my friend Andrea of From The Sol.  She has nominated me for a new award, The Butterfly Light Award.  This award honors those who bring light into the lives of others.  Wow!  It's really a wonderful feeling to think that just maybe I have brightened someone else's day.  Andrea, I feel so honored.  Thank you.


This award was originated by Belinda of Idiot Writing. The conditions for accepting the Butterly Light award are:   First, link back to Belinda, then:

1.  Write an acceptance post, making sure you link back to the blogger who awarded you and thank them.   You may not add this award to a post with other awards.

2. Individually name and re-award a minimum of 1 and a maximum of 9.999,999 bloggers.  You must let them know either personally with a comment on their blog or a "pingback".

3.  Write a short paragraph that is entitled:   "How I'm Spreading Light" or "How I am a Positive Influence".

I would like to nominate the following bloggers as being deserving of the Butterfly Light award.

A.  Kyra of Russian Dutch Heart Designs  ...  Kyra is such a caring, giving person.  She posts about her daily life in Holland, her neighbors and her country. She shares photos of her beautiful garden and her walks around town, and she makes the most beautiful scrap pages.  If you're a scrapper, you really must visit her blog to see all the beautiful scrapbook freebies she has created.

B.  Nani of The Chronicles of Nani  ...  Nani has a most beautiful smile, even though she copes with MS as part of her daily life.  She loves to cook and shares some really delicious recipes.  She and her hubby enjoy their kitties, going to baseball games and photographing trains.  Along with writing book reviews and wonderful stories about her family, Nani has also started a support group to help others with MS.  Be sure to bring your cup of coffee to enjoy while you visit at Nani's blog.

C.  Debby of Cozy Blanket  ...  I met this wonderful lady through a Secret Santa blog.  She radiates such joy and sunshine as she shares photos and talks about her family and friends, and especially all the children she so loves to care for.  She loves clowns, and shares such wonderful photos when the Clown Camp is in her town.  She also makes and shares such beautiful hand crafted items.  If you love crafts, you really must stop in for a visit.

I would have added both Andrea and The Queen Jester from Life in a Canned Ham, but both already have already been nominated for this award.  And so rightly so!  All five of these blogs make up the bulk of my morning blog reading.  It's a wonderful way to start my days, and reinforces why I'm so glad to be alive.  I have such fabulous blog friends!

"How I'm Spreading Light"

Well, to be honest, I never really thought of myself this way.  It kind of feels good though to think that someone else does.  I just enjoy helping others and doing what I can to make their life a bit nicer.  When I was a very young mother with small children and not much money for Christmas presents, a stranger knocked on the door one Christmas Eve, left lots of presents for everyone, said "Merry Christmas" and left.

This and many other helping hands over the years have left a deep mark on my heart.  I feel good when I can do something to make someone else's life a bit happier.  If I had no one to share the fun things in my life, I would feel so lost.  This blog and the friends I've made here have helped me through some really dark spots in my life.  I am so blessed.  So if I can do this for someone else, it makes my day extra special. 

I found this image on the web and I don't know who the author is, but I just love it! 

But our hearts are still young!
 
On days when I feel start feeling sad about getting "old", this image gives me a reason to smile.  There's really no need to feel sad about the loss of youth.  There are so many wonderful things that that can appreciate more when we get older.  We just have to look around us.
 
It's getting late now, so I'd better scrounge up some lunch for my little guy.  Till tomorrow, Y'all have a magnificent day.
 
Hugs, Edna B.

Tuesday, September 16, 2014

"Odile" Is Wreaking Havoc On Mexico And The U.S.

September 16, 2014

Good morning.  Gosh, it was chilly in here this morning.  Even Pogo did not want to come out from under the covers.  So we stayed snuggled up together until after 10 o'clock.  According to the weatherman, Friday should be our coldest day this week.  It's only expected to get up to the mid 60's.  Autumn is rushing in too quickly for me.

I've been watching the Weather Channel all morning.  They've been showing videos of the storm Odile, and all the damage that it has been doing in Mexico.  Now however, it is getting ready to dump lots of rain on the Southwestern U.S.  Folks in this part of the country are trying to clean up from the flooding they've just recently had and now they need to brace themselves for more heavy flooding. 

Meanwhile, there are fires burning in California.  Makes me wonder if my idea of water pipelines would have been a good thing to have in place here.  The cost of building the pipelines would have been outweighed by the cost of damage from the floods and fires.  But what do I know!

There's not much happening here.  As the weather gets cooler, I tend to stay indoors more.  Last night though, I did finish the cornmeal afghan and I put a few more rows on the lavender afghan.  Here's a photo of the finished cornmeal afghan.   This is one of my favorites to date.  The colors are just so homey and inviting.


Dee Dee and Eddie came by yesterday, and together we finally decided on the type of storm door that I'm looking for.  Today, while Eddie is out doing his errands, he is checking to see where we can purchase this door.  It is all screen and all glass, and the glass panels slide up or down.  Pogo will be able to stretch out on the carpet in front of this door and catch a nice breeze while he keeps an eye on what the critters in the yard are doing.

I have another cute photo to share with you.  This is one of the tiny chipmunks that live in our yard.  They are just the cutest little things, and a lot of fun to watch.


One other thing that I did last night, was to watch the movie "Diana" on my tablet.   Diana led quite an interesting, yet lonely, life.   I still think it is so sad that such a beautiful person's life was cut short.  When I say "beautiful" I am referring to the inner person as well as the physical beauty.  She was a caring, loving person who did a lot to help others.

Okay, enough chatter.  It's time to get out my long fluffy bathrobe and start thinking about putting the shorts away.   Sweatpant season is quickly approaching.  I think I'll put away the lightweight blankets too, and bring out the warmer ones.   So, on that note, I'll take my leave.  Till tomorrow, Y'all have a fabulous day.

Hugs, Edna B

Monday, September 15, 2014

Brrr! It's Wicked Chilly This Morning

Good morning.  My oh my, but it is chilly this morning!!  At 8:30 it was only 49 degrees F.  I am so not ready for the cold.  The weather man has been trying to cheer us up by promising temps around 71 F later today, but so far it is not helping.  I miss being able to have my door open early in the morning.

Even Pogo felt the difference in the temperature last night.  He curled up inside a blanket and stayed put till almost 9 o'clock this morning.  It's definitely "shirt and sweater" season.  I'll have to go through his wardrobe to make sure everything still fits.  If not, we'll have to go shopping soon.  There is a new virus going around, and I can't have my little fellow catching a cold.

I have a couple of errands to do today, so maybe Pogo and I will get out for a little while.  We'll see.  First we have to warm up a bit.  Later today, I want to crochet for a while.  I only have to put seven more rows on the cornmeal afghan and it will be finished.

 Today is Mandarin Orange Monday, and here is my image.  The first photo is the original shot of the tip of a branch on my rose bush.  In the second photo, I have used filters and a gradient, then a teeny bit of warping before orangifying the photo.



There's really not much news for today.  My little guy is curled up next to me waiting patiently for me to finish so that we can play.   So, till tomorrow, Y'all have a magnificent day.

Hugs, Edna B.

Sunday, September 14, 2014

Learning My Way Around My Tablet

September 14, 2014

Good morning.  It's a wee bit on the chilly side this morning.  Even last night was on the cool side.  It seems that Autumn is in a rush to get started here.  I, for one, don't mind if it takes it's time getting here.  The warmer temps are more to my liking.

Friday night I sat down with my tablet to try to learn something new about it, and decided to give Net Flix a try.  Well my goodness!  What fun I had.  After scrolling through all that was available, I settled in to watch "The Nut Job".  Gosh, what a fun movie! 

Yesterday, I watched the Joan Rivers movie "A Piece Of Work".  Now here was one very talented and hard working woman.  She led quite a fascinating life, and will be missed by so many.

Last night, I put a few more rows on the cornmeal afghan.  Now there are only another fifteen rows to go.  Woo Hoo!  After that, I must get  the lavender afghan finished.  In between all the crocheting, I've done a little shopping and put things away in my "gift drawer".  So now I'm about 75% done with my holiday gifts. 

**** I just took an unplanned break to look out the kitchen window at a neighbor who is burning small brush in his backyard, causing smoke and ash to fly over into my yard.  Once I saw what he was doing, I called the Fire Department to see if a permit had been issued to the neighbor.  I was told that permits are necessary before burning, but that no permits are given out between the end of April and January 1st. 

A fire truck arrived next door with a couple of firemen who checked out the situation and had the fire put out.  Then they explained to the home owner (I guess that's who was out there) about the laws regarding burning.  There is quite a bit involved before you are allowed to burn to make sure you burn things safely.  However, they only allow burning in the winter.

It's probably nice to squeal on your neighbors, but this is not the first time these neighbors have had fires burning in their yard.  My house is surround by trees, so I am not a happy camper when I smell smoke and see ashes flying around in my yard.

Well, I'm running out of morning here, so I'll post a couple photos of one of the tiny butterflies that have been enjoying our butterfly bushes.



Now I must get busy and wash some dishes before my little guy starts looking for his lunch.  So, till tomorrow, Y'all have a wonderful day.

Hugs, Edna B.

Friday, September 12, 2014

It's Been A Frustrating Morning

September 12, 2014

Good morning.  I was getting a bit worried for a while this morning.  Wayne did some work for me last night on the laptop and this morning a lot of things did not work anymore.  It wasn't his fault though.  It was Google. 

In order to set up a tablet or phone, one must have a gmail account.  At least on any that I've ever had.  That requires a password.  Once that password is set, Google takes over and changes all sorts of things.  Like the email and password that you already use for your Blogger account.   Therefore, this morning, I was not allowed access to my own blog page.  However, several hours later, I think I have it all fixed again.

I asked Wayne to transfer all the music and photos from my brother's old computer to a thumbdrive or disk so that I could save it, so he took the hard drive from the computer home with him.  Hopefully this won't be too difficult and I'll have my stuff back soon.  He also took my little laptop home with him to check it out and make sure everything is working okay.  I usually take this little one with me when I go anywhere.

This morning's fiasco with Blogger/Google was a wake up signal for me to get busy and order my Blog Book for the first part of this year.  I've been letting other things take up my time, and I need to get my book ordered before something happens and my blog gets lost again.  So this will be my project for this afternoon.

SIL Eddie came by this morning to see if he could get the old tire (to the lawn mower/tractor) off the rim and put the new tire on the rim.  It seems that the salesman at the Sears store was more interested in making sales than keeping the customer informed.  He had ordered the tire that I needed and a new inner tube for the tire.  Problem is, the tire was, and is, a tubeless tire.  DUH !!!

My next big project for the house will be to buy a new storm door for my front door and have it installed.  The one that I have is just fine.  It only needs a new screen.  However, It only has a screen and window on the top half of the door and Pogo cannot see out the door.  I have to hold him and stand in front of the door for a while several times a day so that he can see what is going on outside.  The solution, of course, is to get a new door as there is no way to put a little window and screen on the bottom half of this door.

I found a couple of cute images on the web that I thought would be fun to share here.  The first one reminds me of myself.   I get sidetracked so easily.  The second one seems to be a trait that I picked up from my mother, bless her soul.



Last night I took the night off from crocheting and did some reading instead.  I have all my ebooks transferred over to my new tablet, and most of my photos.  Today I will try to get the rest of my photos and contacts moved over too.  One baby step at a time.

Before I go, I have one more photo to share.  We have lots of bees hanging around the plants and shrubs, and they don't mind posing for photos as long as I don't disturb them.


It's getting close to noon now, so I think I'll see what's for lunch, and then get started on today's projects.  So, till Sunday, Y'all have a fabulous weekend. 

Hugs, Edna B.

Thursday, September 11, 2014

California Is Running Out Of Water

September 11, 2014

Good morning.  The sun is shining and our flag is waving gracefully in a most wonderful breeze.  What a beautiful way to start one's day.  It is around 70 degrees and headed for 79-80 for the day.  Ooooh, gosh it just feels so good!

Has anyone been following the problem of California's water shortage?  Well, in case you haven't, it is a real threat to all of us.  If it can happen in California, it can happen anywhere.  Think about it.  If part of the country's water dries up, the rest of the country will have to start cutting back their water use so that they can share their water with the dry states. 

I wonder when, or even "if", our government will ever consider water pipelines.  Especially considering the ongoing floods, with more floods on the way.  Is it expensive?  Yes.  But it can easily be afforded by taking back some of the money that we are using to support the rest of the world. 

We can fix the VA situation too in this same manner.  There is no need to bleed our citizens dry so that we can support the world.  There is an old saying, "take care of yourself first so that you will be able to help someone else".   We've reached a point where it is imperative to start taking better care of our country and ourselves.

Just so you know, I truly believe in helping anyone who needs a helping hand, and whenever I can, I do.  It's just frustrating to pick up the newspaper and read about all the veterans who are dying waiting for doctor appointments and medical treatments because there is no money to pay for this.

It's frustrating to see homeless people sleeping in doorways and anywhere they can find shelter from the weather because there is no money to feed and house them.  On the other hand, we have plenty of money to house and support all the illegals who want to come here.  I just don't get it.

On a brighter note, my friend Rhoda sent me some of the cutest pictures.  These are some of our pets who have just seen us nude.  Thanks for the giggles, Rho.







Now I'm going to finish my coffee and take my shower.  Hopefully, Wayne will be able to come by later after work and tend to my laptop.  There are some updates that I am not too sure of and I feel better having him take care of this.  So, till tomorrow, Y'all have a fantabulous day.

Hugs, Edna B.

Wednesday, September 10, 2014

What's In Your Freezer?

September 10, 2014

Good morning.  It's looking a bit on the cloudy side and it's quite cool this morning.  63 F degrees.   There's definitely an "Autumn chill" in the air today.   I've been loving the weather we've had these past few weeks.  It's going to be sad to see it all leaving.  On the other hand, I am looking forward to seeing all the beautiful Fall colors.

Not much is happening around here, so this will be a short post.  Yesterday I put a couple rows on the cornmeal afghan and then had to take them off.  After that, I set it aside for a while. 

Today is National TV Dinner Day.  Remember the old TV dinners?  When they first came out, they were about 70 cents, and not too tasty.  Today they cost a whole lot more, and some of them are still not very tasty.  However, a lot of today's frozen dinners and foods are really good. 

Some of my favorites are Stouffers Macaroni and Cheese, Marie Callender Fettuccini with Chicken & Broccoli, Digiorno Pepperoni Pizza (I add green peppers to this) and Ristorante Spinach Pizza.  I also like the convenience and ease of frozen veggies and Bubba Burgers. There are a few other frozen dinners that I keep in the freezer for those "just in case" days.

Today's photos are from my garden.  These are pink and red "knock out" roses.  I separated the flowers from their background and then applied a nice blur to the background in order to showcase just the blooms.



My "killer dog" is running around the house, barking at something.  I don't see anything, so maybe a fly got in somehow.  Pogo does not like flies.  Neither do I, for that matter.  So, you go Pogo!!  I'd get him a little fly swatter if I thought he could swing it. 

Well, that's about it for today.  So, till tomorrow, Y'all have a beautiful day.

Hugs, Edna B.

Tuesday, September 9, 2014

Another Whole Week Of Magnificent Weather

September 9, 2014

Good morning.  Does anyone know how to stop all the spam from coming in through Blogger?  If not, does anyone know how to get rid of it all at once instead of just 100 at a time?  I have to go in once or twice a day to keep up with getting rid of this stuff.  I wonder if things are any better at Word Press?

Today's temperature feels so good.  It's supposed to be in the low 70's for the next week except for Thursday which is supposed to be in the low 80's.  There doesn't seem to be much rain in sight for us in the near future.  In one way, this is not so good because our reservoirs are all getting quite low.

I wonder, does the new Walgreen ad for flu shots bother anyone other than me?  Every time I hear it, I get really annoyed.  The ad says that for every flu shot their customers get, a flu shot will be donated overseas to needy persons.  They advertise proudly that last year they were able to send over a million flu shots to these other countries.

Don't get me wrong, I'm all for helping less fortunate people, but what about the less fortunate folks right here?  What about the homeless population?  What about all the folks who could not get the shot because they could not afford it, or worse yet because the pharmacy or doctor ran out of supplies?  I'm not going to rant on about the flu shots.  I just needed to speak my piece.

Today I have a photo taken by my SIL while she was vacationing on the Cape (Cod).  It looks so peaceful, and makes me want to make another trip to the ocean.  Thanks Edie for sharing.


I also have a photo of one of the cute ducks at our local park.  It had been sitting on this rock, preening and enjoying the warmth of the sun, when it decided to stop for a nice cool drink.


Yesterday, I got the laundry caught up, and cooked up a big pot of corn chowder.  After filling a couple of big bowls for myself, I divided the rest of it into containers for my grandson Steve (who lives in the main house) and Joe.  Unfortunately, I've never learned how to make a small pot of chowder, so I don't make this very often.

That was pretty much the excitement for the day.  In the evening, I caught up on some re-runs of Criminal Minds and put a few more rows on the cornmeal afghan.  I'm thinking that maybe tomorrow, Pogo and I will have lunch at the park.  I'll have to give my friend a call to see if she'd like to come with us.

I'd like to pass on to anyone reading this post to PLEASE PLEASE put your cell phones away while you are driving an automobile.  Unless of course your phone is synced into the car radio and is hands free to use.  A friend just lost a dear family member because a person in another car was too busy talking or texting on their phone to watch the road.  You can read about it here:  http://cozyblanket.blogspot.com.  So please put your cell phones away while you drive, and do pass this on to your children and friends.  Thank you.

Well that's about it for this morning.  So, till tomorrow, Y'all have a magnificent day.

Hugs, Edna B.

Monday, September 8, 2014

I Hope All You Grandmas Had A Wonderful Day Yesterday

September 8, 2014

Good morning.  Gosh, it's almost noon.  Pogo woke me early this morning because he was hungry, so I got up and fed him and went back to bed for a few more hours.  In a way this was good because he ate half of the doggie food that I gave him.

I've been sitting here trying to think of what we might have done yesterday that was worth talking about.  To be honest, we really didn't do much of anything exciting.  Oh, I take that back.  I did spend a couple of hours cleaning out my refrigerator.  It takes me a while because I work slower than I use to. 

Unfortunately, in the process of tossing things out and setting others aside to keep, a whole baggie full of Pogo's turkey treats also got tossed into the garbage bag by mistake.  Oh dear, I have more of his turkey, but it is frozen and will take a while to thaw.  Thank goodness Joe had some treats for Pogo, so it all worked out okay.

Maybe today, I'll wash a load of scatter rugs.  That way I'll feel like I accomplished something for today.  It will take a while before it finally sinks in that it does not really matter if I accomplish anything or not.

One very bright spot yesterday was the phone call from my grandchildren wishing me a happy Grandparents Day.   Goodness, I did not even realize that it was my special day.   Hmmm, that would have been a great excuse for Pogo and me to head for a Burger King for lunch.  I have coupons, and I've been looking for excuses to use some of them.  haha.

I have some photos to share that I took a few days ago of a couple of small butterflies that were enjoying lunch on our butterfly bushes.  Today is Mandarin Orange Monday, so I'll also be posting them there.




Now I think I should get busy and rustle up some lunch for my little guy before I start the laundry.  So, till tomorrow, Y'all have a magnificent day.

Hugs, Edna B.

Sunday, September 7, 2014

Trying To Shoot The Lightning

September 7, 2014

It's almost 1:30 a.m., and I'm getting ready to turn in.  I've just put a few more rows on the cornmeal afghan.  There's only about 42 more rows to go to finish it.  Woo Hoo!   I've been watching re-runs of Law & Order all evening, and now it's time to find a boring channel to lull me to sleep.

Yesterday, Joe went out to mow the lawn only to find that one of the tires on the tractor/mower had gone flat again.  He tried filling it with air, but within a few minutes all the air had escaped and the tire was flat again.

So Pogo, Joe and I got in the car and headed for Sears to see if we could either buy a new tire or at least order one.  Seems they don't carry many replacement parts for these machines, so we had to order a new tire and inner tube. 

On the way home, we stopped at Burger King and treated ourselves to a tasty lunch.  Mmm, mmm.  Lately I've had a craving for a Whopper, and this one tasted oh so good!  Even Pogo gobbled up all of his burger.

Once we got home, the TV started giving storm alerts for counties not too far from us.  They said that some places might get severe thunderstorms that could cause flooding and heavy wind damage, and possible a small tornado.

We got just a little wind (more like breezes)  and some light rain.  However, come early  evening, the storm clouds started moving overhead, and they were moving really fast.  I grabbed my camera and went outside to take some photos.  This is one that shows the first big black clouds moving over our area.


It started to rain a bit, so I went inside.  After a while, it got dark and the sounds of thunder started up.  After a couple of lightning flashes, I grabbed my camera again and went outside to see if I could get a photo of the lightning. 

This is not an easy task when you're trying to keep the camera dry, and you're not using a tripod.  First of all, you don't get a warning that a lightning strike is coming so that you can be ready to shoot.  Second, I was standing under the tall rose bush by my side door trying not to get too wet. 

After a while, I went indoors and took more photos through my front screen door.  I got quite a few shots with very light or small lightning flashes, but this was my best photo. 


I have been trying a very long time to get a photo of the lightning with no success.  Until tonight.  It's not the greatest photo, but it made me a very happy camper. 

I've been procrastinating heading for bed because I don't want to have to close the door.  There is a really nice cool breeze coming in and it feels soooo good.  Ah, but all good things must come to an end, and I must close the door and head for bed.

So, pleasant dreams everybody.  Till Monday, Y'all have a wonderful night.  (and day!)

Hugs, Edna B.

Friday, September 5, 2014

Playing With My Phone's Camera

September 5, 2014

Good afternoon.  It's a bit late in the day to be posting, but I had an early morning appointment at the nail salon.  From there, Pogo and I went to the bank to make a deposit, then we headed back home.  Once settled, I've been catching up on some blog reading and email.

While we were at the salon this morning, one of the customers took a photo of Pogo, and sent me a copy.  I tell you, everywhere we go, folks just love my little guy.


I took a photo of Pogo a couple of nights ago, using my phone and the camera flash on the phone.  The lights were all out  (except for the TV)  as I was trying out the night shots on my phone's camera.  This is my Pogo sleeping in his little doggie bed.  He makes the bed look big, but it is really a small doggie bed.


I also thought I would share a new product that I found in one of my catalogues.  It's a solar charger for cell phones and tablets.  I thought this was a great idea, especially when you are not close by a power outlet.  Just pop it on the window, and you're good to go!


A trip to the post office and the supermarket later this afternoon will round out the rest of today's excitement.  Later this evening I'll get out my book and try to learn one or two new things on my phone and my tablet. 

I have spent my whole life being constantly busy, always going somewhere or doing something.  This retirement thing is sometimes unsettling.  I never thought that a trip to the post office could be a day's excitement.  However, I've slowed down so much that this tiny trip really is a fun thing.  Lord help me!  haha.

Well that's about it for today.  I need to see what's for lunch and feed my little man.  So, till Sunday, Y'all have a fabulous weekend.

Hugs, Edna B.