Gorgeous New DD Kit Coming Your Way

July 31, 2010

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It's a fabulous morning here in New England. Just seems a shame that we have to say goodbye to July tonight. I went outside earlier to get my newspaper and to fill the bird feeder. It felt so good to be out there and not swelter from the heat and humidity. It might get worse later, but I'm thankful for this lovely break this morning.

Have you noticed the new slideshow yet? I have just put up the August Daily Download slideshow. What a fantastic kit this one is. And you have Miss Kyra to thank for the title logo and those gorgeous colors. This will still be posted every day in the regular Magickal Scraps forum. I'll let you know at a later date when we are going to be switching things over to the new forum.

How about some neat photos? Yesterday I had a wonderful opportunity to photograph an elusive little hummingbird. I have been trying so long to photograph one of these, but it's not so easy. First, you have to find one. Then you have to have your camera handy. Next you have to be very quick because they don't exactly pose for you. These are my best shots to date. One of these days, I'm going to get a really fantastic one. (I can dream, can't I?)

I can't decide which of these photos to post here, so I'll just post all six of them. You don't mind that, do you? I am just so tickled with them, I have to share them with you.

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You know, the way I got these photos was that I thought I was looking at a dragonfly, and grabbed my camera and ran out to try to photograph it. Imagine my surprise to find that it was a tiny hummingbird instead. Thanks to God for fantastic surprises!!!

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Now I think I will make myself another cup of coffee. I also got some great shots of a butterfly moth yesterday, but I'll save them for tomorrow. Till then, Y'all have a magnificent day.

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Hugs, Edna B.

Humidity Is Down Today, Yeah!!!

July 30, 2010

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Gosh, this month is almost over. Do you realize that's more than half the year that is done? Too quick for me!! This morning is absolutely lovely. The sun is shining, and the temperature is right around 70 degrees and the humidity is lower. Of course, it's still very early.

I'm at work and will have to make this a short post. The Mrs. will be waking soon and my day will start. Yesterday's rain put a halt to most of the work on the house, and then stopped as quickly as it came. Some towns got downpours, but we got light showers.

The crew will be back today though, and start the painting on the rest of the house. I think next week I shall have to order the new fencing because pretty soon we will be ready to set it up. I have been pretty lax about going out to do errands because of the heat and humidity, but soon I will have to get moving here and get the errands done. Have you guessed by now that I am a procrastinator?

Today I will post you a new QP freebie. This one features a darling chubby fairy. I think she is just gorgeous. Reminds me of me!! I hope you can use it. Now I am off to start breakfast for the Mrs. Till tomorrow, Y'all have a fantastic day.

Hugs, Edna B.

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"QP - 043"

A Flying Object?

July 29, 2010

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This morning, the weather is having a difficult time making up it's mind as to what it wants to do. Should it rain? Maybe let the sun come out? Or maybe just a few sprinkles and a little sun? I guess we'll just have to wait it out and see what comes.

I'm having a late start this morning. (What's left of the morning!) This was the first morning that I was able to sleep a bit late, so naturally I wanted to stay in bed a bit longer. Then of course, while I enjoyed a cup of coffee, I checked a couple of blogs and my email. I even did a bit of shopping for some new resources.

Now I'm hoping that I can gather up the energy to get outside and do some errands. I might make it though, because I can see a tiny little breeze just outside my window, and it looks very inviting.

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After Tootsie's last chemo treatment yesterday, Janet and Tootsie and I went to Wendy's and pigged out on burgers. Mmm, Mmm, Mmm! Mine was a Bacon Cheeseburger Deluxe. Oh my, that was simply delicious!!!!! Miss Tootsie enjoyed an order of Chicken Nuggets. Need I tell you just how happy she was with that?

Janet had her camera with her, so afterwards, we tossed out some french fries to the seagulls so that we could take some pictures. Here's s photo of two gulls chasing the same french fry.

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Next, I have a couple of Moo's photos to share. This first photo is Duxbury Beach taken at dusk. You can see just a hint of the red colors that will be moving in soon as the sun starts to go down. I might be a bit predujced, but I think its a really lovely photo.

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As for this next photo taken after the sun set at Duxbury Beach, Moo needs some help trying to figure out what that white object in the sky is. There was nothing in the sky when he took the photo, and it doesn't show up in any of the other photos similar to this one. I checked his lens and there was nothing there. So what is it? If you have a guess, let us know.

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I see now that it is almost time for me to make Tootsie some lunch. So I will leave you and start my day. Tomorrow I hope to have a new freebie ready for you. Till tomorrow, Y'all have a magnificent day.

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Hugs, Edna B.

Stephen, Hope Your Birthday Was Great!!

July 28, 2010

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It's a gorgeous morning, but already very hot, hot, hot. Miss Tootsie and I have just got back from her morning chemo appointment. The bird feeder was empty so we filled it before we came in. Can't have our little feathered friends going hungry.

Last night, I made some new layouts of how the house and yard work are coming along. Also, yesterday was my grandson Stephen's birthday. He spent the day here, helping to paint the house. So this first layout is for Stephen.

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While the crew is working around the yard and house, I go outside periodically to see how things are going, to maybe take some photos, and to ask questions if I don't understand something. I supposed this can be a bit annoying sometimes, but my son-in-law takes it in stride. Sort of. Here is his layout.

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Well, at least I think that's what he was saying!!!! It's good to have a sense of humor. I also put together a layout to show how the place is starting to look now that a lot of the overgrown brush is gone from around the house. I can hardly wait to see how it will look once there is grass on both sides of the house. And a new fence too!! Which reminds me, I still have to get out and buy the fencing. Oh joy!!! Here is the layout of the before and after to date.

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Wow! Big difference, huh? When we were younger, Michael, Artie and I would have done most of this work ourselves. But those days are gone, and now we have to let the younger and stronger guys do the work. And I must say, they are doing a fantastic job of it!

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Last night, I managed to finish packing up my parts for the August DD's and get them uploaded. After that, Snowy telephoned and we had a lovely chat. It's good to hear your friends' voices when they live so far away. Later, Moo and Erik got back from a photo shoot at Duxbury Beach. Moo is fascinated with the gorgeous sunsets we've been having by the ocean. I'll have more of his photos to share with you tomorrow.

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Now I have to get some errands done, and pay some bills. Yeesh! That time of the month again! Those bills just keep on coming! Till tomorrow, Y'all stay cool and have a fantabulous day!

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Hugs, Edna B.

Mixing Up My Schedule

July 27, 2010

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Oh what a lovely morning so far. It's a bit hot in the sun if you are standing still, but riding along, you don't need the AC in your car. The cool breeze is just delicious!! I have my schedule a bit mixed up. Tootsie's chemo did not start yesterday. It's on for today and tomorrow. On the way home from the hospital this morning, I dropped my car off at the garage. Hopefully, it will be back before it is time for Tootsie's appointment later this afternoon.

The yard work is coming to a stand-still, but now we are doing a bit of work on the house itself. Yesterday, they started painting it. I will have to get outside and take some photos today, because it really is starting to look better. The dumpster will be picked up this week, so we will get back that part of the yard. Right now, the dumpster is where we usually set up the barbeque grill.

Moo's tests this week are being rescheduled because he caught that nasty cold from helping me when I was laid up with it. I suppose it's a relief in one way, but in another way it is just postponing the inevitable. These days, you can't win for losing!!!!

Sadly, I did send the rental lens back yesterday. I don't know how fantastic it was, but I miss having it. It really is a great "all around" lens. Hmmmmmm. Mayhaps I will have to see how to fit one in my budget.

Today, I need to spend some time making sure all of my August DD parts are ready to be uploaded. August is only a few days away. Also, I thought today I would post a photo that I took a couple of days ago during our "rain sprinkle." If it's hot where you are, maybe this will cool you down a bit. It shows the new dome cover I put on the bird feeder. I know it's not the greatest photo you ever saw, but it is rather cooling to look at.

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The next photo I have is a lovely plant that grows by the edge of the pond at our park. I really don't know it's name, but it is so interesting to look at. If you know what it is, please do let me know.

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That's all the news I have for today. Now I need to get a few things done around here. Till tomorrow, Y'all stay cool and have a magnificent day.

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Hugs, Edna B.

Our East Coast Is Broiling!

July 26, 2010

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Good morning. It's not quite 6 am here and the temperature is quite comfy at the moment. The days have been scorchers lately. My Audrey tells me that with the heat index, the temperature was 123 degrees a couple of days ago, and not much better the other days. People are being told to keep their pets indoors and to check on their elder neighbors. Gosh, we wait all year for summer to get here so that we can get out and play, and then it's too hot to play!!

This morning starts Miss Tootsie's next round of chemo treatments. Plus, I have to call my mechanic to see if he can take my car tomorrow. It needs a check up, an oil change, and the air conditioner isn't blowing cold air anymore. Soon, it will be time (August) to have another safety check and get a new sticker.

Yesterday, while Tootsie was at the beauty salon, I went to the park to shoot some photos, and you'll never guess!!! The park was closed to the public. The city was holding a walk-a-thon or something like that and using the park for part of it. This is not funny. I was so hoping to try this rental lens out. Today, I have to return it.

Once I picked Tootsie up, we treated ourselves to a Dairy Queen ice cream, and drove to another edge of the park close to the street. Here, I got a few photos, just not what I had in mind. About all we could see was some folks fishing, lots of lily pads, and an assortment of bugs.

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And here is my little sweetie in her car seat. Isn't she just a love? This was taken right after a very hot stroll in the sun. Poor little thing gobbled up some water as soon as we got back into the car.

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I think once I have learned to use this lens, I could really love it. It's not too heavy, and it does both close up and far away. Not too shabby!

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Once we got home, I tried to keep busy so that I would be awake for the forum chat at 3pm, but my body won out, and I finally had to take a nap. After a couple of hours sleep, I checked and the forum ladies were still busy chatting and setting up the new forum. Things are looking good there, so now I can't wait for it to officially open.

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Well, it's 6:15 am now, and soon I will be getting ready to go home and start my day. There is just no rest for the wicked!! So till tomorrow, stay cool, and Y'all have a simply marvelous day.

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Hugs, Edna B.

Yeah!! A Few More Sprinkles!

July 25, 2010

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Good morning. Yes, it is quite lovely at the moment. The sun isn't too bright yet, so the temperature is still in the 70's. It's 6:30 am, I'm at work, but I will be going home soon. Miss Tootsie has an appointment this morning at the beauty salon. After that, I hope I can catch a nap before coming back to work tonight.

With a bit of luck, I might even be able to make the forum chat later this afternoon. If not, I'm sure the ladies will keep me updated. Most folks have weekends off from work, but I do most of my work hours during the weekend. It's good because it leaves most of my week free to do other things.

Yesterday, we finally did get a little patch of rain. Not really very much, thought. Although some places did get quite a bit of rain, we only got enough to make one tiny puddle. Oh well. I'm sure the lawns and gardens are thankful for what they did get.

7:55 am - I'm home now, and my little girl is happily gnawing on her morning chicken chewie treat. She absolutely loves these things. Little does she know, she's going to be getting a nice bath and a new hair do shortly. That's not on her list of top ten fun things!!

I did manage to take a few photos yesterday during the "rain" of our birdie friends at the feeder. Rain or shine, they still get hungry. The new dome cover we put on the feeder is working well to keep the food dry

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We also had a rather soggy little chickadee come to dinner. Usually they flit away quickly, but this little kid must have been hungry because he stayed a few minutes.

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Just outside my living room windows, there are hedges that come up over the windowsill. These hedges are a favorite hiding place and a refuge from the weather for the birds. When I peeked out, this little sparrow was tucked inside the hedge keeping dry.

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I've been taking these photos with the rental lens. It's a Tamron 18-270mm. I can't vouch for the long distance shots, but the close up shots are rather good. The weight of the lens is good too. These shots are all hand held.

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Now it's time to start getting ready to take Miss Tootsie to the salon, and while she's there maybe I can look around for a few photo opps. Till tomorrow, Y'all have a marvelous day.

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Hugs, Edna B.

Elusive Rain Drops

July 24, 2010

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It's looking like a great morning. I think we are supposed to get rain, so that will help to keep things cool for a bit. Yesterday it sprinkled a speck here and there. Gosh, I hope that wasn't the rain we were expecting! My car didn't even get wet. Just a few spots on the dust on it.

The crew readied the side of the house for painting, but the actual painting had to be postponed because of the rain we were expecting. All twenty seven drops of it!!! The good part is that even though there were only a few drops of rain, it did cool the air down. So for that, I'm thankful.

Last night, Moo went to the hospital to visit with Howie, and brought him a bag of treats including a bowl of watermelon. That really brought a smile to Howie's face. He loves his treats, and he especially loves watermelon. I think most everybody loves watermelon. Moo took a couple of photos of Howie, and I made a layout showing him enjoying his treat. Credits for the little characters I used go to Aisne's Creations.

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Moo is not feeling so great now either. He's coming down with the same thing I've had for the last couple of weeks, and I feel so badly for passing it along to him. Living in the same house makes it difficult to keep the germs to ones' self, even so we do try.

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I did not manage to do the laundry yesterday, so that is next on my agenda. Got to make sure all my clothes are clean and ready for work tonight. There should be a chat sometime this weekend to decide on a few things for the new forum, but I don't think I'll be able to attend. By the time the chat begins, I will be on my way out the door to go to work. I'm sure though, that the ladies will email me with the high points of the discussion.

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I think that now I shall make another cup of coffee, and get that laundry started. Till tomorrow, Y'all have a fantastic day.

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Hugs, Edna B.

Stuffed Peppers For Supper. Mmm, Mmm, Mmm!

July 23, 2010

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It's a bit cooler and less sunny so far this morning, but that's just fine with me. We could use a break from the heat. Plus it makes it a good day to be working outdoors. Right now, my son in law is painting the side of my house. Another week or two, the place should be looking right spiffy.

Today, I hope to get out for a little while to play with the rental lens. It was supposed to be returned today, but I got a three day extension so that I would have a bit of time to play with it. It seems like a rather nice lens, but it hasn't shown me anything spectacular yet. Of course, I haven't really taken it anywhere to give it a real good try.

Yesterday, Moo made stuffed peppers for supper. Of course, we did not wait till supper to try them out. Oh my, perfection!!!! Mmmmm Mmmmm Mmmmm!!! Later, when supper time rolled around, we had ourselves another pepper. This batch was just superb!!!

After supper, Moo took a couple of the peppers to his friend who lives near the ocean. And naturally, he took his camera just in case the setting sun would present another photo opportunity. And did it? Oh my yes. This first photo is right out of the camera. I didn't even crop it. It was just too lovely. I think Moo has found his niche.

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This next photo is the same scene from a different angle and a few moments later. Moo has a good eye. I'm really proud of him.

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Today, I have a few things to do, plus a bit of laundry. So I will leave you now, but first I will post another freebie. This one is a delightful QP that I hope you will enjoy. Till tomorrow, Y'all have a fantastic day.

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Hugs, Edna B.

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"QP - 042"

Tootsie Enjoys Her Igloo

July 22, 2010

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What a glorious morning we have, even though the temperature is hot, hot, hot! The work crew is busy in the yard, and Moo has gone to buy paint so that we can pretty up the outside of the house a bit more. Over the years, the paint tends to get a bit shabby, but well, so don't we I suppose. That's life.

As for the new forum, the ladies have all been quite busy putting ideas and thoughts together to help make this a wonderful place. So far, it's looking great, and should be up and running within a month or two. Just in time for the closing of the old forum. This is getting to be lots of fun, and I can't wait to see it finished.

Oh, let me tell you about a lovely surprise I got in the mail yesterday. My friend Rhoda is such a lovely, thoughtful person. She saw this, thought of me, and got if for me. Thank you Rhoda. I do not have these stamps. Although it is a little known fact, I do have a small stamp collection, and I DO love Elvis Presley. So thank you, thank you.

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Ever wonder how really smart your pets are? Watch them closely sometime. They are amazingly smart and resourceful. On these hot days, my Tootsie has found a marvelous way to keep cool. The dehumidifier sends a stream of cool air down along the side of the recliner chair. I have a card table set up by the corner of the chair. So Tootsie uses this as a sort of igloo, and spends a lot of time in here keeping cool.

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Sometimes Uncle Moo will bring along one of his pillows and crawl in with Tootsie, and they will take a refreshing nap together. Of course, when Moo leaves the room, Tootsie confiscates his pillow for herself. She's all for being comfortable. Here's a photo of her chilling out in her igloo.

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Oh, and one more bit of news. Moo and I went to court yesterday, and got temporary guardianship for Howie. Now we can proceed to looking into nursing facilities to find a good one for him. It will be nice to finally get him settled somewhere. Here's hoping the search does not take too long.

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That's it for today. I slept late this morning, and now have to get caught up with things here. Till tomorrow, Y'all have a fantabulous day.

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Hugs, Edna B.

A New Home For Us Soon

July 21, 2010
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It's looking to be a lovely morning so far, but I know the heat isn't too far behind us. By the time Moo and I leave for court a little later, it will most likely be quite hot. Today is finally the day we go to court to start proceedings for guardianship for Howie. Once that is settled, we will be able to find him a nice nursing home placement.

The yard work is coming along, but I still have to get out and find new fencing. Yesterday, I made several phone calls to find out about loam and hydroseed. It's a good thing I did because I learned that the loam and hydroseed need to be done at end of August and beginning of September, not now. Without those calls, I could have made quite a costly mistake.

So for now, we will just finish the yard and the cellar and get the fence up. That way, we will be all set when it is time for the grass part. Thinking about being able to sit out and enjoy this new yard is rather fun and exciting.

Now for some news about our forum at Magickal Scraps. Snowy will be officially closing it down soon. BUT! Have no fear, our ladies are resourceful, and one of them has already started building us a new forum. Soon, I shall post the new link here for you. Thank you, Maitri.

I have no new photos for today, but I can share this one. It's one of my little feathered friends sitting outside my window and enjoying some seeds.
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Now I really must get going here, and get dressed. There is a lot to do today, and daughter in law is on her way over to help out. What would I do without her? She is such a joy to me. I'm off now, so till tomorrow, Y'all have a fantabulous day.
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Hugs, Edna B.

Sad News This Morning

July 20, 2010

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Good morning folks. So far this morning, the weather is just fantastic. Now if the whole day could be like this, ahhhhhhhhhhhhhh. So I'll enjoy it while we have it. Poor Miss Tootsie is busy barking at the different noises coming from outdoors. The work crew is busy on this side of the house this morning.

Us ladies of the Magickal Scraps forum got a bit of sad news this morning. It seems the site will be closing down soon. Since the store got hacked back in April, Snowy has not been able to rebuild it, and unfortunately does not have the time for it now. It's rather sad though, sort of like losing a best friend.

Gosh, now I'm getting depressed. I know that all things must eventually move on and keep up with the times, but it's still hard to leave some things behind. There is an upside. I did make some great new friends, and hopefully, we will all be able to keep in touch.

I have only two days left to see how this rental lens works, so maybe later today I can go out for a bit to shoot some photos. The few photos that I have taken with it have not impressed me very much. But that could very well be just me not using it right. I really wish I had some hands on learning here. It would make life so much easier.

I'm off now to make another cup of coffee, and get dressed to start this new day. How about a freebie? Sound good? I think so. Hope you can use this new QP. Till tomorrow, Y'all have a marvelous day.

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Hugs, Edna B.

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"QP - 041"

Back To Work, Groan Groan!

July 19, 2010

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It's a lovely morning and I'm back at work. In another hour or two though, it will at least 90 degrees. Another wicked hot day. At least we have AC indoors so far. Let's hope the Mrs. lets us keep it on all day.

Last night, the birthday boy (Moo) took a ride to get some sunset photos. This photography thing is catching. Not to mention that it is such a fun hobby. Anyway, he came home with some really nice photos, one of which I will share here with you.

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Yesterday, I did get to finish one of our challenges, the Book Cover challenge that is sponsored by Kyra. This one is very challenging and quite fun. This month we were to make up a book about travel on one of the world's famous rivers. I chose the Mississippi River, which is one of the world's top ten Most Powerful rivers. Here's my book cover and the back cover. Not too shabby, if I must say so myself!

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By now, the work crew has probably arrived back at my house to resume working on the yard. Every day, things are looking so much more different than before. I'm looking forward to when it is finished though. It will be nice to be able to sit out and enjoy it.

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This has to be a really short post because the Mrs. is waking and asking for her breakfast. So it's time for me to get busy here. Till tomorrow, stay cool, and Y'all have a wonderful day.

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Hugs, Edna B.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOO, And you too JOE!

July 18, 2010

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Good morning everyone. Oh and what a simply beautiful morning it is!! And guess what? Today is Lobster Day!! And why is that? Because it's Uncle Moo's Birthday! For years and years, I would prepare a lobster feast for my Michaael and my brother because they share the same birthday. I have already sent my prayers to the lobster fairy to please bring a nice fat lobster for Moo. (I usually go out and get it myself, but this week I have been out of sorts.)

At the moment, Moo is out with his best friend Joe having a birthday breakfast together. My brother and Joe met back in the summer of 1953. Imagine!! That's FIFTY SEVEN years ago! How many of us are lucky enough to still have your best friend with you after fifty seven years?

And you want to know something else? Joe's birthday was yesterday!!! How is that for fate? You know, sometimes these two remind me of the odd couple. And they do love to bicker. But they are always there for each other. So Happy Birthday Moo, and to you too, Joe. May you have many more special days filled with sunshine and happiness. I love you guys!

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I don't have much more news for the moment. Today is my last day to pamper myself and try to get over being sickly. Tomorrow I have to go back to work, ready or not. Oh yuk!! Before I leave you this morning, I would like to share a photo of the view outside my living room window.

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My rose bush doesn't bloom very often any more, but my little birdie friends absolutely love it. In it, they find respite from the sun and the rain, a safe place to rest, and a place to meet with their friends and family. I hope you enjoy this photo. I think it's rather fitting for today, don't you? Till tomorrow, Y'all have a beautiful day.

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Hugs, Edna B.

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"The Meeting Place"

Squirt! Squirt!

July 17, 2010

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Ahhhh, Good Morning! I'm starting to feel much better. The chest and the ribs are still sore from coughing and the nose is still stuffy, but I'm up and starting to do things. Poor little Miss Tootsie says "It's about time! I've been feeling a bit neglected!" My little girl has been so good throughout all of this. The only real mischief she got into was peeing on all the scatter rugs. And yes, her Uncle Moo washed them all so that she could start all over again. What a girl this kid is!!!

Waiting for me, after I finish my coffee, is a sink full of doggie dishes and cups and glasses to wash. I have drunk tons of liquids this whole week. When I walk, my toes squirt a mixture of water and orange juice out at you. Squirt! Squirt! Squirt! (Only kidding!!!) Can you imagine how much fun I could have if my toes really could squirt liquids?

This mucus relief medicine is making me silly. But believe me, it's much better than lying here with hot and cold chills. One minute you can fry eggs on your head, and the next minute you are pulling the covers up to your chin. That's what it has been like all week in between coughing and trying to breathe. So it's good to feel a bit silly. It's a good sign.

How about a photo to go with all the silly talk? I have this one that I took on Disney's Wild Kingdom Safari. Believe me, it was not easy getting photos of this lovely creature. The truck was bouncing along in and out of ruts and not slowing down a bit, while these Emus came charging after us. These are extremely large birds. I mean HUGE!

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And here's a photo of the two of them coming after us. To be honest though, they really are quite awesome to watch.

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It's time for me to put on some clothes and start looking a bit like a human being again. Then maybe I'll do a bit of work around here. Not too much. Just a little bit. LOL. Before I do that, I have another freebie for you. This one is a bit different from what I usually do, but I sort of like it. Hope you do too. That's it for now. Till tomorrow, Y'all have a fantabulous day.

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Hugs, Edna B.

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"QP - 040"

Sleeping Beauty Is Waking Up

July 16, 2010

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Today, it's good afternoon. I've slept so much since Monday morning that I could not sleep last night. Instead, I scrapped a bit, and fell asleep around 6 am this morning. I suppose it will take a day or so to get back to my norm.

Before I forget, my friend Yvonne is going on vacation for a week, and I want to wish her a relaxing fun-filled week. Hope it's a good week for you my friend.

The layout I worked on last night features my youngest grandson, Kevin, better known in the world of baseball as The Koolaid Kid." He's a fantastic pitcher, and can give the ball a really mean smack when it's his turn at bat. When he got ready to wind up on the pitcher's mound, I followed him all the way through the pitch with my camera, and used the photos to make this layout. Pretty cool, huh? Can you tell how proud I am of this fantastic little guy?

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As I sit here, I see a bit of a breeze through my living room window. Dare I hope that it means a bit of cooling off and a speck of wet stuff for us? I would love to go outside in my nightie and dance around in the rain right about now. Unfortunately, the neighbors would see to it that I was carted off to a funny farm before Moo could get back home to save me from them. Hmmm, but it was a beautiful thought!!

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How about a couple more pictures from the "Lion King?" I loved the aerial acts, and these two photos feature the lions. Hope you like them. They were so exciting to watch.

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Did I tell you that last week I treated myself, and ordered another rental lens? Oh yes I did. I've been wanting to try Tamron's newest lens, the 18-270mm DII VC, ever since it came out last year. So I rented it, and it arrived this past Monday.

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You got it!! I haven't even been able to go out and play with it, and I have to send it back in just a few more days. What did I do to deserve this, I ask? I can almost hear Mr. B. whispering to me "So just buy it Baby if that's the one you want." Did I mention that he spoiled me a lot? Yes, he did! Well, in all fairness, first I have to get out next week and try this lovely lens to see what it can do. I hope it's all I'm expecting because it's just the right weight for me to handle with my camera.

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Okay, that's enough babble for today. Till tomorrow, Y'all have a marvelous day.

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Hugs, Edna B.

I'm Think I'm Going To Make It!!

July 15, 2010

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Just stopping in to let you know that I have been laid up since my last post with a really nasty cold or flu bug. Today I am finally able to sit up without falling over, and am enjoying my coffee. I don't know how I would have got through all this without Moo's care and help. He's been really wonderful taking care of my little Tootsie and looking after me.

Yesterday was one of the dwarf's (Erik) birthday, so Moo made up some birthday cupcakes with candles for him and everybody sang Happy Birthday to him. Then Moo took him out for lunch. Later, Moo went to two different hospitals. One to visit with Howie, and another to visit with one of our other dwarfs who is sick and in the hospital. Come to think of it, this is a really rough week for Moo.

Hopefully, things will ease up now for Moo. I'll have to think of something nice to do for him to make up for all this. So take heed - if you have siblings, cherish them! Life is so very short!

That's it for today. I'll share a photo with you, and then I'm going to rest a bit more. I took this photo at the showing of "The Lion King" while I was Disney's Animal Kingdom. I'm not sure, but I think she was portraying a lovely bird. It was very dark inside the tent, (except for stage lights) so I'm quite happy that the shot came out so good. Anyway, I thought you might enjoy the photo. Till tomorrow, Y'all have a marvelous day.

Hugs, Edna B.

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Still Waiting For A Sprinkle Or Two

July 12, 2010

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Ah, good morning. It's 8:05 am and I've been home for just a little while. Miss Tootsie has enjoyed her morning chicken treats, and has managed to hornswaggle a couple more little treats from Uncle Moo. She's one smart little cookie, that kid!!

So far this morning it is quite comfortable outside. A bit sticky, but still in the 70's. Of course, in another hour or two that will all change to hot hot wowee! The weatherman still keeps on saying that we may have some showers today or tomorrow, but for this we just have to wait and see. We sure could use a sprinkle or two. A lot of the lawns are brown and there are a lot of burn spots on trees and plants. One of my hostas is all burned and shrivelly.

Today I have to look for fencing again. Oh joy! I had this darling little money bush in the back yard, but it seems to have shrivelled up and died in all this heat. So I guess I won't be retiring for quite some time. The house and Miss Tootsie are very needy. Don't get me wrong, I'm not really complaining. I'm very thankful to be able to go to work and meet the expenses.

Last night I was able to finish up the template challenge for the Magickal Scraps forum. Snowy provided the template, and I wracked my brain to come up with a pleasing layout. Sometimes I can try for hours, then all at once everything will fall into place quickly. That's how this challenge went, but I'm happy with the way it turned out.

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Today I have a couple of photos of my little birdie friends. This first little sparrow was sitting on my newspaper post enjoying a tasty seed.

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And, as you can see, this next little fellow is sitting on the clothes line waiting for the rain to stop. Obviously, these photos were taken last month when we had a bit more of the wet stuff.

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Now I think I want to spend a little time playing with Miss Tootsie. If I knew what time UPS was coming to deliver a package, I might even squeeze in a little nap this morning. But that will have to wait till after my package arrives.

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I'm starting to yawn quite a bit here, so perhaps I should make myself a cup of coffee. The caffeine might help me to stay awake as long as I need to. Till tomorrow, Y'all stay cool and have a magnificent day.

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Hugs, Edna B.

Gloriously Orange Tiger Lilies

July 11, 2010

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Good morning to all on this lovely sunny morning. It's 8:45 and it's starting to warm up a bit. If it weren't for the humidity, the heat would be tolerable. But it gets very difficult to breath with extreme heat and high humidity.

My Tootsie is smart. She found a nice cool little space by the recliner that sits in front of the AC, and that's where she spends quite a bit of time. My AC has a de-humidifier in it so that's what I run. It keeps the place cool without having to turn on the AC.

It's rather quiet outside this morning. The work crew has the weekend off so there is no hustle and bustle going on. I'm really hoping that in the end, the yard will look nice and that I'll be able to plant lots of bulbs and flowering bushes. At my last house, the yard was smaller but I had grass and beautiful blooms everywhere. Most of all I think I miss my lilacs. Hmmmmm, maybe I can plant new lilacs here soon. That would definitely be nice.

I do have beautiful orange Tiger Lilies scattered here and there, and today I can share a couple photos of them. This first photo was rather interesting because one of the blossoms was in the shade and the other was in full sun.

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This next lily was also in the sun, but it's so pretty that I just had to take it's photo too.

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Last night I tried out another point and shoot camera. I took photos of the sky, the flowers, and a panorama shot of the open field across the street. I was not excited about any of the photos and erased all of them. It seems that the more the little camera costs, the harder it is to figure out what's where and what's what. And to top it all off, there is no little manual included in the box.

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I spent hours trying to find where the different shooting modes were hidden, and still I could not figure out how to use them. When the flash came on, it was bright red and nearly blinded whomever the camera was aimed at. I found that using the zoom increased the noise in the photo to the point of displeasure.

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I think this is sad because I really wanted to get me a point and shoot to carry around in my purse. Some times when I don't have my Canon with me, I lose some nice photo opportunities. You know though, if that's all I'm worried about at the moment, then I'm okay.

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I'll be needing to take a nap shortly, but before I leave you I will post a little mini kit freebie for you. This kit matches the one I posted for the July 1 blog train. If any of you still need to download parts from the blog train, check on the side of my blog to the first posting in July. It will be up through the 14th of this month. Then most of the links will become inactive.

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Enjoy this little kit. Till tomorrow, Y'all stay cool and have a marvelous day.

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Hugs, Edna B.

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"Freedom Rings" mini kit

I'm Building A New Scrapbook

July 10, 2010

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Good morning everybody. I think it really is a bit nicer outside even though I haven't gone out there yet. Through my window, I can see a nice little breeze ruffling the leaves on the rose bush. Either that or there are some little birds playing inside the bush.

Yesterday was another busy day here. While the crew was working in the yard, Moo and I went shopping for a new fence. It was a disappointing trip and we came home with no fence. I must be very picky. When I go around and look at people's fences around their yards, I do not see lots of broken, warped pieces in the fences. Yet when I go the the store, that seems to be all they have for fencing. I just don't figure it. Ah well, I shall try again Monday or Tuesday.

In the morning, there was more wood chipping done, and then the chipper machine was picked up and taken away. After that, we rented a rototiller and the crew was able to till the yard on both sides of the house. After it has been raked and smoothed, we will see if it needs to be done again before dirt and grass seed can go in.

I did take some time yesterday to make a couple of layouts using photos from Wednesday and Thursday. If I keep this up, I will have enough pages to fill a scrapbook. Here is Layout #2. I just couldn't''t resist using this rather comical photo of Moo watching Stephen hauling the brush over to the chipper machine. Eventually they did use the car to drag the stuff over.

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For Layout #3, I used a photo of the chipping machine spewing out wood chips into the yard for the background. Then I picked out photos of each of the guys working, including clean up at the end of the day. I'm quite happy with how it came out.

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Later, I cooked supper for Tootsie and me and Moo and Erik. My part of the house is cooler than the rest of the house because I keep my windows (not that I have many of them) closed and my curtains drawn. Normally, my door is always open, but in the heat I close it.

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My dwarfs are not always very bright. The hotter it gets, the more they cook in the kitchen, and this in turn heats up the whole house. Would you believe that we have several cooking grills outside in the yard under the trees in the shade? In years past, they would prefer cooking outside in the hot weather. But for some reason this year they are being quite pigheaded about it. So I keep my door shut.

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I have another rather pretty photo to share. This one is very pleasing to the eye. It's one of the gorgeous blue hydrangeas that bloom where I work. Pretty soon I will be able to plant some of them in my own yard. What a lovely thought.

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Now I think I shall have a nice shower, wash my hair and get dressed to start another day. Tonight starts my work week. So till tomorrow, stay Y'all cool and have a marvelous day.

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Hugs, Edna B.