Word for the day....

Littoral

1.	of or pertaining to the shore of a lake, sea, or ocean.

2.	(on ocean shores) of or pertaining to the biogeographic region between the sublittoral zone and the high-water line and sometimes including the supralittoral zone above the high-water line.

3.	of or pertaining to the region of freshwater lake beds from the sublittoral zone up to and including damp areas on shore.

Yippee!!!!!

Found a Bufo americanus on the steps going into my daylight basement office this am!!!! I am VERY excited because I've always wanted one for my garden, but none would come visit. Even have a house for him already...actually, it's a big ol' vintage tin funnel that I cut a 'door' into.
Not a very good photo (we have really cheap digital cameras here at school), but here he sits in a little flip-top tote full of weeds and barks chips, waiting to go home with me after lunch. I'll keep you posted about this newest member of my family :-)

Word for the day....

Chatoyant
1. changing in luster or color: chatoyant silk.
2. Jewelry: reflecting a single streak of light when cut in a cabochon.

Perfume...

Not much of a perfume wearer these days. In fact, there are few perfumes being made that I even like. When I was younger wore fragrance all of the time. Thankfully I haven't fallen into the "older woman" thing of taking a bath in real strong, cloying sweet perfume. However, I do have some favorites that I wear on special occasions..light mistings I assure you. (actually I spray it in the air and walk through it)
Anyway, my favorite is Bill Blass. Fresh, light and very feminine. I also Like Anais Anais. BUT, I walked into one of our classrooms today and smelled something faint, and totally delightful. When I finally tracked down the wearer she told me that it is Possibilities by Ann Taylor, and all I can say is ahhhhh.... gotta have it.

Update: Found some on Ebay! Received it today, and it's all I thought it would be! YUM!!!

Word for the day....

Elegiac
1. used in, suitable for, or resembling an elegy.
2. expressing sorrow or lamentation: elegiac strains.

A sad day..

On my way home from work today, as I pulled up to the driveway, I found our resident squirrel dead in the road. As much as she vexed me, eating the bird food, driving the dogs crazy, I wouldn't have wanted this to happen to her. I think she may have had a nest, because looking at her picture I can clearly see her 'faucets', so she may have been nursing. This is her memorial.

Word for the day....

Prolix

1.	extended to great, unnecessary, or tedious length; long and wordy.

2.	(of a person) given to speaking or writing at great or tedious length.

Memorial weekend...

was wet and rainy. Didn't get anything done outside, but managed to get some things done in the house, mainly my studio/office. Feels great when there's some table space to actually get some craft projects done.
My studio is not as pretty as Posie's, but it IS functional!! Actually, it used to be our living room, but since there's just the two of us, we decided to use the little den off the kitchen for our TV room, etc. That little room has a nice patio door and deck out to the side yard, which is now the fenced dog yard. Took us FOREVER to get the fence up! For years I had to take the dogs out to potty on leashes...any hour of the day, rain or shine. Once we got the fence up and I could just open the door and let them out, I would ask myself daily, how could I have NOT had a fence all these years!!

DOG YARD

Most of the weekend was food driven. MDH works swing shift so we don't see each other during the week at all. Sitting down to dinner together is very important so I try to fix nice meals. Bought some nice organic peaches at Trader Joe's, so I decided to make some peach shortcake. I've come to the conclusion that I don't care for Bisquick. Nothing ever seems to come out the way I like. Maybe I should start doing everything from scratch.

Bisquick..hate it!

Whipping cream...yum!

Peaches..double yum!

I'll leave you with the cutest picture ever. "I just LOVE my scratch post, Mommy!"

PUCK

Took a short break...

Last weekend the weather was incredible!! HOT HOT HOT!!!! Tried to get some work done outside, but didn't make much headway as it was almost impossible to breath. I don't do well when it's really hot, nor do I do well when it's really cold. Gimme 70-75 degrees with no humidity and I'll be a happy camper. Although, I DO like what the heat and sun does for my laundry when I hang it out. There's just something about line-dried sheets that makes me all fuzzy inside. They smell so great, and even look cleaner than when they go through the machine. AND, if there's a nice breeze, NO WRINKLES, which is a plus as I only have white, 100% cotton sheets on my bed. No poly-cotton percale will ever touch this body again! What a difference!!

Got a little done during the week, but , again, not much. My job drains me a little, so all I want to do when I get home is take a nap! Did manage to get the Hummer feeders up, and hang a couple of squirrel feeders way out in the pasture to try to get the little dickens to stay out of the bird seed!!!! Also filled the thistle feeders in anticipation of the Gold Finches return. Can't wait!!

Slowly getting the Yard 'junk' out of storage. Too much work!! There's nothing that's worth much, so who cares if it stays out all winter?? If it rots and falls apart I'll just go thrifting and buy more. Beside, the yard looks too bare when everything is packed up for the winter and out of sight.

This weekend is Memorial weekend and I hope it's cooler!!! Got a list of projects a mile long and three days to do it in. I will be sure to take before and after pictures!!

My booty...

Went to the Humane Society Thrift Store yesterday. It's nearly the only thrift store left in town now. Got a lovely tablecloth with pretty embroidery and crochet edging, a very nice Pyrex bowl that will now hold my eggs, some great books, and other things.

The stitching on this is perfect! Almost looks machine done, but it's not.

I collect Daphne du Maurier books, among countless others, and was very happy to find this to add to my collection.

Ah, spring!

Apple tree in bloom...
Two days later...

So sad...

Our local St. Vincent de Paul store is CLOSING!!!! It's my absolute FAVORITE thrift store!!! I've found so many neat things there. Hubby and I are both bummed, as he has caught the thrifting bug as well. The only TS's around here now are a small Humane Society store and an over-priced Goodwill. What am I gonna do???? Gone is the thrill of the hunt! Hmmm... maybe it's a sign that I don't need any more stuff!?!?! But but but... I still have a whole wall in the kitchen crying out for something cool. With gas prices so high, running around to yard and garage sales seems like a daunting endeavor, but I'm sure I will succumb to the overpowering need to scrounge in someone else's junk!! It's a sickness, I tell ya!!!

So excited...

My Shooting Star Hoya has bloomed!!!

And my Bella!

AND the Crimson Queen!!

Bloom where you are planted...

Even if it's in the dog kennel! Seriously, I do not have ANY daffodils anywhere on the property. Don't know where this little guy came from, but he's putting out a valiant effort!!

Kitchen...

We've been collecting, collecting, collecting...Ebay, thrift stores, yard sales..the kitchen is slowly but surely coming together!!

My cow collection!

My new shelf

Over the island...

Stove...

Wall cuties!

Dining room window...
Table...

My sweet Bailey is a coverdog!!

Trader Joe's

Wow! Went to Trader Joe's yesterday. I was impressed. I had only been to one once before in Eugene, and that was years ago!! What impressed me most were the prices even for organic! We have a Whole Foods here in town but I could never afford to shop there. Now I have an option. Besides the great prices, the food is phenomenal!! We filled our freezer and I can't wait to go back!!

A New Bird...

There's a new bird in our yard this spring. The White-Crowned Sparrow. They have never been here before and there's a whole flock of them outside the patio door! They are so cute! Their little head feathers stick up a bit looking somewhat like a little crest!

Thought I'd share...

Pictures of our sweet pets!

This is Basil. He'll crawl into anything..bags, boxes, baskets, pots on the kitchen counter. Anything he can squeeze his little body into!!



This is my beautiful, magical Puck. He's 10 years old and still in his kitten-hood. Sleeps curled up next to me every night and meows when it's time to go to bed.



This is our darling Bailey, a 4 year old Cojack. He is the sweetest little thing!!



And last but not least, my heart dog, me dear sweet Violet, an 8 year old BHT Pembroke Welsh Corgi. I absolutely ADORE this dog.

Where'd all this junk come from?

Had a yard sale this weekend. Good grief!! How do two people accumulate so much stuff??? We usually do this once a year, and every year I say it's the last year, but the stuff just breeds I think! I always tell myself to only buy what I really LOVE and want to keep forever, but due to my capricious nature I always end up with a surfeit of unloved and unwanted items. AND due to the stingy part of my psyche I can't bear to just give it away to thrift stores. I try to squeeze every penny I can from the stuff before it goes away. I mean, I paid some good $$ for the stuff, right? Shouldn't I get some of it back? Even if it means schlepping and toting and trying to convince folks to buy my junk when I know good and well they have junk of their own??