Happy Holidays!

Couldn't have asked for a lovelier Christmas. We had a wonderful day together.

We gathered at our house. Eric ended up having to work an overnight double and had to go back in to work right after lunch. My cousin from St. Louis arrived late because she had difficulties that I can't go into. Other than that, the dinner was great and I had such fun decorating the house for guests. It has been a long time since I've enjoyed preparations for Christmas this much.

Our weather was gorgeous. I'll take a sunshiny Christmas over SNOW ANY time!

I love this photo my niece took during our after Christmas Dinner walk. She got a perfect shot of the giant coming out of his lair, right as he snatched my sister's boyfriend, and before he crunched his bones! Well, that part of Christmas was a little gruesome, but we were thankful it was the boyfriend and not somebody important.





Please try to ignore the fact that the giant looks almost identical to the gentleman in the photo from the madrigal below. Pure coincidence.

Madrigal

We had a very fun evening. Isaac was in the Madrigal at the high school. The performance was lovely and the food was good.

Isaac was the guy who announced the food (?) I think he was called a surveyor. He was a very handsome Lord.



After the Madrigal we found that it had started snowing---our first snow this winter. I was thinking of posting a photo of our snow, but it's kinda whimpy, so I'll post the non-whimpy sunrise we had recently instead.

December

These pictures illustrate what I feel about December. Dreary, cold and harsh. It normally doesn't snow much in southern Illinois until January, so until Christmas or snow, my photos might look depressing. Can't wait to post photos of little crocus flowers and daffodils coming through the soft spring soil.

Memory Lane

Here's a trip down memory lane. This photo is taken under the same yellow maple tree in front of the old house. First on left is my mom, then my sister Ruth, then Becky, me (with my kitten) and my granny and grandpa.

My mom and dad on the road in front of our house.


I'm adding a few more autumn pictures because VICKI asked to see some autumn pics from So Ill. I am so disappointed that the photos don't turn out as vivid as real life, so I'm not posting many of my pictures. Eric and I were walking in the woods nearby recently and there was a magical golden glow because of the glowing yellow gemstones on the branches of the trees. Very pretty and little rectangular pictures do not convey the real beauty.
This next photo reveals my humble beginnings: this is the house I grew up in. The glowing yellow maple tree was planted the same year my sister Ruth was born, so it's only 53 years old. It's also the tree that collided with me when I was 4 or 5 when I prematurely lost my front tooth! It's been a good tree, provided shade for many drinks of iced lemonade. The house has been vacant for almost 20 years.




Thanks for looking at my pictures! :)

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

Our Walk in the Woods Today

Every spring and every fall a public road in the Pine Hills in southern Illinois is cut off from traffic. The road is called "Snake Road". In the fall, the road is closed off to allow snake crossing from the slough on one side of the road....



...to the bluffs for hibernation...



Today was a perfect day for hiking. The weather was clear and cool. Eric and I with our dog, Gretchen went walking on Snake Road. So did a lot of other people with cameras. Normally, we only see snakes if I am not carrying the camera. It was unusual for us to see any when I have the camera. We saw two snakes today: A little garter snake that didn't stop for a photo and this yellow bellied watersnake. I think that's what it was. Herptologists, feel free to correct me!



Along the way to the Pine Hills we took this photo of Tower Rock on the Mississippi. You're looking at Missouri across the river. You can see we're still pretty green with only two weeks left of October. In a week or so we should be seeing a lot more color.

October 13, 2007. Happy 56th anniversary to Mom and Dad!

This is my son and niece on their way to homecoming dance with a group of friends yesterday.

And this is the water tower in downtown Western Springs where we visited last weekend. The tower was built in 1890 using Naperville stone. It's 112 feet high. It's a fairly impressive landmark and is now a museum.

It's Time to Post a Post

My birthday was great! Thanks for all the birthday greetings.
I feel so loved. (big grin!)

Eric took me out for dinner at Fujiyama's hibachi grill where the cooks entertain while they cook your food at the table. Lotsa lotsa fun! The food was delicious...which reminds my tummy, there's some left-overs in the fridge that I think I'll go finish off now.

I have a few photos to share. First my flying-free pet dove, Diego.


Next, my kid in the same tree.


I'll post this last photo just long enough for y'all to see how good my mom's doing after her fall this summer. Then I'll take it off line...'specially since I don't have her permission to post a picture of her. This photo was taken just a few minutes ago when I caught her walking out to the mailbox. I'm 'specially hoping Stef will peek in to see Granny. (another big grin)

Another September Birthday

My baby's eleven! Because he homeschools, I don't often get to see him next to kids his age, so yesterday when I dropped him off for soccer practice with those BIG 5th and 6th graders, it kinda made me sad. I'm not one (as Jo knows) to get sentimental about my kiddies getting older, but *sniff* he just seems too little to be so big! I have to admit that some of those 6th graders are jumbo-sized, just maybe somewhat older than the average 6th grader?

My boy is still a little boy. He was thrilled with his new pet dove which is the very essence of peace and tranquility. He's a very gentle caregiver for all his fowl (as well as for his pet tarantula and pet rabbit.)

Happy Birthday, Boy!

Watched From Above

Down on my knees weeding the blackberries this evening, I looked toward the sky and there was a beautiful argiope spider. If I had been on my feet instead of my knees, I would have destroyed all the hard work she had put into her web today. Click on the picture and admire her beauty up close. She's really an attractive creature...and of course very busy keeping those mosquitoes out of my ears.

The hens and ducks were also close by while I was weeding in case I unearthed some nice fat grubs.

Eighteen Years Gone By

My cute little sunshiny cabbage patch baby has been around for eighteen years now.

His birthday was Sept 6th. Now we have a household of 4 adults and one child.

This photo was taken by his English teacher when they were doing Hamlet. He's very much into literature and drama, so his Shakespeare class has been one of his favorite high school experiences.

Happy Birthday to you!

The Butterflies Mesmerize Me

This photo was taken right next to my front door. I know these butterflies lose some of their enchantment on a computer screen, I can't help it, I just keep taking their picture and just keep posting them. And today I finally caught the tiger!



Giving credit where credit is due, this photo was taken by Niel, but I thought I should add another poultry picture. This is "Ping" and her offspring "Fred and George".

School Daze

School has begun. I'm even taking a class this semester. English 102 on line to work on getting a BSN someday.

Quinn has started his second year of college.

Isaac's a senior in high school.

Niel is a 5th grade home schooler.

I'm kinda busy these days, even working an extra day each week, so might not get too many updates in bloggy-world here.

Here's a picture of what my college classroom looks like when I get up in the morning.

Hey, Jo!

I don't have any new photos to add today, so I'll add an old one. This is one of baby me and my two big sisters taken the Easter before little sister was born. The field behind us in the picture is now the pine forest where Eric and the boys and I live.

I guess I can add that the sister in the middle is my sister who died of breast cancer in April. Did I show you this picture before? I'm getting old and forgetful!

Jo, I can speak to you personally here, cuz you're about the only one who peeks at my spectacular blog! I got your letter today and since you asked about my crochet I thought I'd tell you to take a look at the link on the left (that's your side with the tingling hand) named "my doilies" and you can see what I obsessively crochet. Useless items really and that goes along with being so hip and happenin' don'tcha know?

As usual, I'm sharing a few new pictures from my garden taken today.
* * * * * *

With a heat index of near 106, my brother-in-law's nephew's girlfriend picked today to move. We got our work-out in the heat this afternoon and had to tease her that she could have picked a hotter day. Fortunately she's a single gal and so it was a cinch compared to moving a family of 5 or more, which I've done many times before and it seemed to be an endless task. The move today took less than three hours.

I was thinking that I'd so much rather be asked to help move furniture and boxes on a hot day than be asked to take somebody meals on wheels or to plan a baby shower. I always feel like a disgusting failure when I avoid womanly tasks like cooking for a pot-luck supper. But see? I'm not so bad. I enjoy being asked to help move.

Yeah, it's another butterfly picture. We've had SO MANY butterflies the last few days. Yesterday there were four different types of butterflies on this small zinnia patch until I went in to get the camera and then there were none. Finally this lone monarch returned alone. I need some variety and don't know why it couldn't have been the tiger swallowtail instead. Or the Fritilliary.

See how green our grass is here in the middle of the summer?

Today 8-8-07 is Mom's 82nd birthday. She's still hobbling after her fall a month ago, but she says she feels some better.

To Begin With

This little red hen is Elisabeth. Ya can't tell from this photo, but Elisabeth is the lowest hen in the pecking order, not counting the new barred rock pullets.

I like to bring Elisabeth inside the kitchen where I give her bits of food scraps and grains that she pecks greedily from the linoleum floor.

The reason I enjoy this is because it makes her more attractive and sexy to the Jersey Giant Rooster, Jeff. When she goes back outside, he dances around her and this boosts her self image and confidence. Another hen will soon take her place as the least beloved and then I'll begin bringing that hen inside. Their simple social ladder delights me!