Wednesday, November 30, 2011

Where Has November Gone?

November 30, 2011

Good morning.  Yesterday's rain held off until sometime during the night, which of course, I thought was right nice of Mother Nature.  Today is looking pretty good too, even though there is some rain on it's way.  After watching the weather history patterns, I am becoming a bit optimistic that this will be a mild winter.  That would be just awesome!

Yesterday, I got my first two Holiday packages in the mail.  Tomorrow, I can get a couple more in the mail along with some cards.  Unless it's destination is local, things need to get out early.  Last night I did a bit more wrapping.  It's a great feeling to be almost finished.  I think I only have three more gifts to get and I will be done.  Woo Hoo!!

Is it just me, or did the whole month of November fly right by, barely touching the ground?  Gosh, I have to tell you, these months are going quicker and quicker.  Is this another perk of the Golden Age?  If so, I wouldn't mind if it slowed down just a bit. 

Aside from all the shopping and wrapping, I have been working a bit on my laptop.  I made a picture using the waterfall texture.  I colored the texture, applied a blending mode, a softening texture, and the poster edge filter all in Photoshop.  The floral graphic came from The Graphics Fairy.


Tomorrow, I will be posting my contribution to the "Christmas Around The World" blog train.   You won't want to miss this fantastic Christmas train.  It's filled with all sorts of wonderful holiday scraps for all those precious photos you will be taking. 

Tomorrow is also my Rummage Baby's birthday.  I've always told her that I got her in a bag that I bought at a church rummage sale.  Best dollar I ever spent!   Of course, you and I both know that's not really how I got her.  If you're from the "50's",  then you know that one had to put in their order for a baby at the local hospital, and when the deliveries came in you were notified to come and pick up your baby.  By the end of the 50's however, that type of delivery had radically changed, so I found out.

I've been busy all morning and Tootsie and I did not have breakfast.  So now I must go looking to see what we can have for brunch.  After that, I want to get my spaghetti sauce started.  Tonight is pasta night.  On this delicious note, I leave you.  Till tomorrow, Y'all have a fantastic day.

Hugs, Edna B.

Tuesday, November 29, 2011

Such Beauty In The Sky

November 29, 2011

Good morning.  I think we're in for some rain today because it's gray and damp outside.  However, it's still warm.  So that's okay.  Do you realize that there is only one more day left in November?  Time is simply flying by.  In two days, it will be December.  Wow, in less than four weeks Christmas will be here.

I'm sitting here watching "Max and Ruby" on TV.  After surfing all the channels, this was the best program I could find.  It's a cartoon bunny show, and the sad part is that I'm actually watching it. 

Today's photos are ones that I took Sunday night at work.  The Mrs let me bring my tripod so that I could get better photos of the planets.  There was only one still visible tht night, and it had moved to a different location.  Actually, it moved quite a bit during the night.  It won't be visible after tomorrow.

Anyway, I used an ISO of 6400 and no flash.  I'm not sure what I touched on the camera so I don't know where all the reddish brown color is coming from in this photo.  Unless it's a glow from a street lamp.


After this one, I zoomed in to get a closer shot.  I'm quite happy with what I got.  I think those are stars around it. 


When I really zoom in on my laptop, I can see lots of stars everywhere.  And in all the shots, there was a red star/planet (I'm not sure).  Also, the background has all sorts of colors in it.  Yellow, purple and green.   I should also mention that the sky was a bit cloudy Sunday night.


I find all of this quite fascinating.   When I was a kid back in school my favorite subjects were Astrology, Mythology and Ancient History.   So this is why I'm finding all of this quite interesting.

Now it's time to give Tootsie her morning meds, and then I think I'll see about rustling up some food for us.   Till tomorrow, Y'all have a marvelous day.

Hugs, Edna B.

Monday, November 28, 2011

It's Not A Fire - It's Today's Sunrise!

November 28, 2011

Good morning.  The sun is working on making it's appearance here in my town.  Plus I think it sprinkled a bit during the night as everything was a bit wet this morning.  But what a glorious sunrise!  The sky was literally ablaze with color.



Last night, I took my tripod to work and tried to get more photos of the planet.  But I will save all of that for tomorrow.  Today I have to get busy and finish packing up my boxes for mailing.  In a few days, it will be December, and I don't want to get caught up in the Holiday mail crunch.

I still have to order a few prints for framing, and a couple more gifts to get.  Later this week, my cards can go out in the mail, and it's starting to look like Christmas!  Maybe I can talk one of the dwarfs into putting up the Christmas decorations later in the week. 

Want a texture freebie?  I made this one over the weekend, and I call it "Waterfall Texture".   I made it from an actual waterfall photo that I took earlier this year.  Enjoy.


Here is your download link:  EXPIRED

Now I'm off to rustle up some breakfast and spend a little playtime with Tootsie.  My little girl isn't walking so good anymore, but she's holding her own and trying to be as perky as ever.   Any wonder why I love her so?   Till tomorrow, Y'all have a fabulous day.

Hugs, Edna B.

Sunday, November 27, 2011

Another Gorgeous Autumn Morning

November 27, 2011

We're enjoying another beautiful sunny morning here in New England.  The temperature is around 43 degrees F, and should go up to about 60 F in a few hours.  Not too shabby!!  This morning at work, the mist over the field across the street was just beautiful.  Of course, I got me another photo.  Folks, you have to admit, Nature sure is beautiful!


There were two planets visible this morning just before daylight, but I was not able to get a decent photo.  Tonight, if I remember, I'll take my tripod to work with me.  I asked permission from the Mrs and explained that I can't get a good photo handheld and the planets are not visible from my yard.  So we shall see.

I checked on the area where the critters had dined, and it still looks untouched.  Glory be, I sure hope they've moved on.  How about some birdie photos.  I took these a month or so ago at our local park.  The pigeons are so pretty, and they don't mind the camera.



The weather man is forecasting low 60's for a few days and going down to the 50's at night.  Someone up there must like us!!  That's it for the news today.  Now I'm off to make some scrambled eggs and green peppers for our breakfast.  Mmmmmm!    Till tomorrow, Y'all have a wonderful day.

Hugs, Edna B.

Saturday, November 26, 2011

I'm Loving This Beautiful Weather

November 26, 2011

What a lovely sunny day it is here.  And oh my, what a huge pile of sale flyers we have to peruse.  On Thursday, our newspapers were chock full of these sale flyers, and today and tomorrow we will be bombarded with a ton more of them. 

I'm wondering just how many trees had to be cut down to print all these flyers.  Some of these stores sent out flyers for Friday and Saturday only, then another flyer that includes Sunday.  Today's flyers are for the week ahead.  I'm feeling badly for our trees.

After checking all the flyers and looking a few things up online, I find that the popular little 10"
netbooks are getting hard to find.  And the ones that I found usually only have a "starter" version of Windows 7.  What is a "starter" version?  This perplexes me because we have  "Home",  Home Premium" and "Professional" versions.  It's getting very confusing to buy software lately.

At work yesterday, I took some photos of the beautiful floral arrangements that friends and family had sent to the Mrs.  Here are two of the gorgeous flowers tucked into these arrangements.



Critter update:  My son in law was here yesterday to find the new "critter entrances" and to close them all again.   This morning I'm not seeing any traces of new traffic.  Of course, this is an ongoing battle every year throughout the cold season. 

Now it's time to whip up something good for brunch.  Till tomorrow, Y'all have a fabulous day.

Hugs, Edna B.

Friday, November 25, 2011

Critters Have A Sense Of Humor Too!

November 25, 2011

We are enjoying another beautiful sunny morning here in my little part of the world.  There is frost on the ground and the air is crisp, but it is really nice out.  For all the folks who have today off, today will be a great day to be out enjoying this wonderful day.

 After the chapter I wrote yesterday, I'll keep today's post short.  Besides, I'm at work and the Mrs will be waking soon.  Tootsie and I had a really nice day yesterday.   She had turkey for lunch, and I had turkey salad.  Oh, yummie!!   This morning, I took another packet of turkey out of the freezer (seems like I just put it in there) so that I can make more of this delicious salad.  That's how fantastic it tastes!!!

Update on feasting crittrer:  I put a little plate of "critter be-gone" stuff on the pantry shelf in with the egg noodles and muffin mix that the critter had scattered about.  I was hoping that a belly full of this stuff would make the critter want to go to some other house and not come back.  The critter was by during the night again.  It left a couple of noodles on top of this snack tray to let me know it had been there.  Sarcastic little bugger!  My son in law will be by today to find the entrance hole and seal it up.

In the afternoon, I got my gift wrapping started.  This is where I find out all the stuff I forgot to buy!  However, I did manage to get a couple of the gifts wrapped.  Now I just have to wait for a bunch of things that I order online to arrive in the mail. 

Today's photos were taken last Spring.  I chose two photos of the gray catbird because I never realized how the little tuft on top of it's head stands up sort of like the blue jay's.  Aside from that tuft, the catbird looks very much like a gray robin.



That's it for today folks.  It's time for me to get busy here.  Till tomorrow, Y'all have a fantabulous day.

Hugs, Edna B.

Thursday, November 24, 2011

HAPPY THANKSGIVING DAY

November 24, 2011

It's a gorgeous morning on this Thanksgiving Day here in New England.  I want to wish all of you (even if you do not celebrate this holiday) a wonderful day.  May you be blessed with family and friends, peace and happiness.  Many years ago, on November 9, 1620, my ancestors arrived here aboard the Mayflower.  So, I thought I would give you a bit of history as to what the Pilgrim is.
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King James I took the English throne in 1603 and declared that he would put an end to church reform and deal harshly with radical critics of the Chhurch of England.  By 1607, a group of about 50 reform minded individuals began meeting secretly at Scrooby Manor to celebrate the Sabbath, led by Richard Clyfton and also Rev. John Robinson.  This group soon decided that reform of the Church of England was hopeless and that they would separate all ties with it.  Thus they became known as Separatists.

The weekly meetings of the Separatists soon attracted the attention of the Archibishop of York and many members of the congregation were arrested in 1607.  Brewster was found guilty of being "disobedient in matters of religion" and fined.  Some members were imprisoned and others were watched, according to Bradford, "night and day" by those loyal to the archbishop.  Adding to their concerns, members of the Scrooby congregation learned that other Separatists in London had been imprisoned and left to starve.

When the Scrooby congregation decided in 1607 to leave England illegally for the Dutch Republic (where religious freedom was permitted), William Bradford determined to go with them. The group encountered several major setbacks in trying to leave England, most notably their betrayal by an English sea captain who had agreed to bring the congregation to the Netherlands but instead turned them over to authorities. Most of the congregation, including Bradford, were imprisoned for a short time after this failed attempt. By the summer of 1608, however, the Scrooby congregation, including 18 year old William Bradford, had managed to escape England in small groups and relocated in Amsterdam.

William Bradford arrived in Amsterdam in August 1608. Having no family with him, Bradford was taken in by the Brewster household. The Separatists, being foreigners and having spent most of their money in attempts to get to the Dutch Republic, had to work the lowest of jobs and lived in poor conditions. After nine months, the congregation chose to re-locate to the smaller city of Leiden.

Bradford continued to reside with the Brewster family in a poor Leiden neighborhood known as Stink Alley. Conditions changed dramatically for Bradford, however, when he turned 21 and was able to claim his family inheritance in 1611. Bradford soon bought his own house, set up a workshop as a fustian weaver, and earned a reputable standing.

In 1613, Bradford married Dorothy May, the daughter of a well-off English couple living in Amsterdam. The couple was married in a civil service, as the Separatists could find no example of a religious service in the Scriptures. In 1617, the Bradfords had their first child, John Bradford.

By 1617, the Scrooby congregation began to plan the establishment of their own colony in the New World. Although the Separatists could practice religion as they pleased in the Dutch Republic, they were troubled by the fact that, after nearly ten years in the Netherlands, their children were being influenced by Dutch customs and language. Therefore, the Separatists commenced three years of difficult negotiations in England to seek permission to settle in the northern parts of the Colony of Virginia (which then extended north to what would eventually be known as the Hudson River). The colonists also struggled to negotiate terms with a group of financial backers in London known as the Merchant Adventurers. By July 1620, Robert Cushman and John Carver had made the necessary arrangements and approximately fifty Separatists departed Delftshaven on board the Speedwell.

It was an emotional departure. Many families were split as some Separatists stayed behind in the Netherlands, planning to make the voyage to the New World after the colony had been established. William and Dorothy Bradford left their three year old son John with Dorothy's parents in Amsterdam, possibly because he was too frail to make the voyage.

According to the arrangements made by Carver and Cushman, the Speedwell was to meet up with the Mayflower off the coast of England and both would sail to Hudson's River, now the site of New York City. The Speedwell, however, proved too leaky to make the voyage and about 100 passengers were instead crowded aboard the Mayflower. Joining the Scrooby congregation were about 50 colonists who had been recruited by the Merchant Adventurers for their vocational skills which would prove useful in establishing a colony. These passengers of the Mayflower, both Separatist and non-Separatist, are commonly referred to today as "Pilgrims." The term is derived from a passage in Bradford's journal, written years later, describing their departure from the Netherlands:

...With mutual embraces and many tears, they took their leaves of one another, which proved to be the last leave to many of them...but they knew they were pilgrims and looked not much on those things, but lifted their eyes to heaven, their dearest country and quited their spirits...

The Mayflower reached Cape Cod (now part of Massachusetts) on November 9, 1620 after a voyage of 64 days. For a variety of reasons, primarily a shortage of supplies, the Mayflower could not proceed to Hudson's River and the colonists decided to settle somewhere on or near Cape Cod. They had no permission from the Crown to do so, however, and the legal status of the colony would therefore become void. The leaders of the colony felt this situation might lead to political anarchy and, motivated by mutinous outbursts from some of the colonists, they drafted the Mayflower Compact off the coast of Cape Cod. Through the compact, which all free adult males signed, the colonists agreed to majority rule. Simultaneously, they elected John Carver their first governor.
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Yesterday, as I was working on my laptop, a squirrel  kept trying to raid the little bird feeder outside my window.  I had to keep getting up and going to the door to shoo him away.  On one of my trips outside to shoo him, I grabbed my camera.  This little bugger runs up the side of  my house, across the roof, own the other side and then back to the feeder.  Here he is way up on top of the roof looking down at me.  Does it look like he's laughing?


Here is another little fellow that I chased away.  He thinks he's hiding and that I can't see him.  I guess no one told him that I had my cataracts removed quite a long time ago.

After this, I got out the big bag of peanuts that I bought for times such as this, and threw some out on the ground.   This is my feeble attempt to steer the squirrels away from my feeders.  I don't have to tell you just how feeble this is.



I'm saving the best for last. This little fellow came for a peanut, and found out he couldn't fit two peanuts in his mouth at the same time. Awwwww! Poor Baby!!


While Tootsie and I were sleeping in our warm little bed last night, something (gosh, I wonder what?) dug a hole in the wall and came in through my pantry and had a Thanksgiving feast!!!!!!!  I'm thinking that maybe I should start throwing the peanuts and other goodies over in the neighbor's yard.  Maybe then, the critters will dig their holes over there and leave my house alone.  Think it will work?

I will leave you now to your families and the turkey.  Tootsie and I are so thankful for all our wonderful family and friends.  We are very thankful for this tasty food we are about to eat.  We are so very thankful for all our many blessings.  And, we are wishing all of you a most wonderful day.  Till tomorrow, Y'all don't eat too much turkey! 

Hugs, Edna B.

Wednesday, November 23, 2011

Where Has All This Energy Come From?

November 23, 2011

Well, it's wet and gray and a tad bit cool this morning, but it's still quite nice.   And the best part?  My cold is much better.  I think the Cold-Eeze did the trick. 

It's been quite the busy day so far.  I got up early and got Mr. Turkey ready for cooking.  One of the dwarfs was already baking a pie, so as soon as the pie was done, I popped Mr. Turkey into the oven.  While I was waiting my turn with the oven, Tootsie and I had breakfast, and the fuel oil was delivered.  Whew! 

Next it was time to re-size a couple of photos that I want to have printed.  Yesterday, I went shopping for, and bought, a couple of frames and mats.  I'm learning the hard way, that I need the frames first so that I know what size to print the photo.  I also picked up a couple more holiday gifts.  It feels good to be getting so close to done.

Today, I thought I would share a couple more photos from my day at Plymouth Harbor.  One is a gorgeous shot of the dark clouds moving past, and the other is a rather pretty shot of the water washing over some rocks close to shore.



It's taking me a while to write this post because there is a pesky little squirrel who keeps climbing up to my window to see if I'm looking.  His goal is to eat all the food in the little bird feeder hanging there.  I tossed a handful of peanuts out to see if that would take his attention away from the feeder.  It worked until the peanuts were gone!!

It's time to check the laundry.  I forgot to mention that while all these things were going on, I also put in a load of laundry.  Now I want to get it folded and put away.  Gosh, if I get many more days with this much energy, I might even finish the housework.  Groan, groan!  So till tomorrow, Y'all have a fantastic day.

Hugs, Edna B.

Tuesday, November 22, 2011

It's Time To Thaw The Turkey

November 22, 2011

Good morning.  The sun is shining, but it's still a bit brisk outside.  Somewheres around 35 degrees F, I think.  My turkey is in the refrigerator thawing.  This year, I bought a frozen one.  I plan to cook it up tomorrow because all the dwarfs have families to spend the day with.  If anyone should be left behind here, of course I will share my turkey and trimmings.

I'm not a turkey fan, however I do love turkey salad.  So I will be making a big bowl of turkey salad.  Oh, yummmmmmm!!!  Miss Tootsie will be happy because I will make up some individual bags of turkey to keep in the freezer for whenever she is in the mood for turkey.

I have caught me another cold, so I'm trying "Cold Eeze" lozenges to see if I can get rid of it as quickly as I caught it.  I am just not a happy camper when I have a cold.  Come to think of it, who is?

This weekend is crunch time for most of my holiday shopping.  Packages need to be in the mail by the first of the month to make sure of deliveries before Christmas.   I have only a few folks left to shop for, but oh my, this is where my imagination has to put forth it's best work. 

I have just called to have more fuel oil delivered.  Yuk!  Yuk!  These are not nice words around here.  I find it amazing how in the summer when you do not need heating oil that the prices go down, and in the winter the price goes up.  Somehow this doesn't seem fair.

This morning I have dug into my file of birdie photos to share a couple of favorites.  Here is a pretty little duck at play; and of course one of my favorite subjects, a gull coming in for a landing.



Today, I have one more assignment for my photo class to finish up for November.  I'm really learning a lot with these classes, so if you are looking for a photography class to join, check out Hummies World. 

Now it's time to put in a load of laundry, and rustle up some breakfast for Tootsie and me.  Till tomorrow, Y'all have a fantabulous day.

Hugs, Edna B.

Monday, November 21, 2011

Only 8 A.M. And The Freezer Is Bare!

November 21, 2011

Wowee, it's another gorgeous sunny morning here.  And  the best part?  It's not really cold outside.  After I got home this morning, I went back out to Walmart to pick up a couple of food items.  Sadly, the freezer and dairy sections were pretty bare.

 I mentioned this to the clerk and she said it was because of the Holiday.  I told her "this was a lame excuse because the shelves are always pretty bare lately."  She got perturbed with me and started to defend the store, saying that I was wrong and the shelves were fully stocked just this morning when she got to work.  Oh sure!  Ri-i-i-i-i-ght!

Folks, it was only 8 am, and there were very few people in the store shopping.  There were only two quarts and three gallons of milk in the dairy section.  Half of the freezer section was completely empty.  I looked around for the hoardes of shoppers who bought up all this  food, and there were only two other people checking out at registers.  (They had mostly non-food items.)  Hmmmmmm!

This particular Walmart is planning on expanding to a super store with a huge food department starting in January.  If they can't stock the food now, what will it be like when they expand?  I just may have to drive to a different Walmart store for my groceries.

Okay, enough of my prattling.  Here are the last two parts of our November collab kit, "Giving Thanks."


And here are your download links:

EXPIRED

When you're finished downloading, don't forget to stop by Su's blog for her two parts.   This is a great kit for scrapping your family photos this Thanksgiving.    Now it's time to rustle up some breakfast.  Tootsie is sitting here with that "feed me" look in her eyes.  Gosh, I just love this little kid!!  Till tomorrow, Y'all have a wonderful day.

Hugs, Edna B.

Sunday, November 20, 2011

Is It A Star? Or Is It A Planet?

November 20, 2011

Oh, it's another beautiful morning here in my little part of the world.  Today is another great day to be outdoors.  I did a bit of shopping this morning on my way home from work, but I think that's all the outdoor time I'll get today.  I've been busy this morning wrapping a couple of gifts and getting one boxed and ready for mailing. 

I want to share a photo that I took last night.  These past couple of weeks, there has been a very bright star in the sky, and I'm not having much luck trying to photograph it without a tripod.  I will try to remember to take my tripod out Monday night when I am home, and see if I can get a better photo.  This is what I was able to get last night.  I know it's not very bright here, but all the other photos have squiggles on them.


According to a website called "Earth Sky",  this is a planet, not a star.  I'm not sure if it's Jupiter or Venus or one of the other three planets that are visible this month.  Click on  Earth Sky to visit their site and learn more about this.

Tomorrow, I'll be posting my last two parts of "Giving Thanks".  After that, I want to get started on our December kit.  I can't wait to start working on it, the colors are just gorgeous!  Now I'm off to make some lunch for myself and Tootsie.  Then we will head in to our cozy little bed for a nap.  Tonight is another work night.  Till tomorrow, Y'all have a marvelous day.

Hugs, Edna B.

Saturday, November 19, 2011

Good Deeds Can Sometimes Backfire

November 19, 2011

It's a beautiful Saturday morning and unfortunately it's not starting off too good.  Actually, it's been great so far until my phone  rang.  My guardianship for Howie (former tenant) was supposed to be temporary until the court could appoint someone else to take over.  Well, that never happened, and I've been asking ever since the beginning to terminate my guardianship. 

I was never given conservatorship, so I have not been able to pay any of Howie's bills.  They are piling up, and I am not a happy camper.  Every other month I have to sign papers for something or other, but the court does not seem to come up with another guardian to take over.  I have to go back to court in December. and hopefully my guardianship for Howie will end. 

Folks, it's one thing to do something nice for someone in need, but be careful what you are getting into before you start.  Guardianship means that you make the person's decisions, and are responsible for their bills.  It does not give you access to their finances in order to pay their bills.  So get all the facts before getting into a situation like this.

On a brighter note, the mail lady brought me a large box yesterday.  It contained three beautiful handmade birthday gifts from my daughter, granddaughter and friend.  A lighthouse door stopper, a scarf, and a gorgeous pillow doll.  Thank you so much, they are just beautiful.  Audrey looked everywhere to buy me a "Kerri" doll, but could not find one so she made one for me.  Have a look here at my beautiful gifts.


That's it for this morning folks.  It's time to make some breakfast for Tootsie, and then get dressed to go out to the supermarket.  Till tomorrow, Y'all have a fantabulous day.

Hugs, Edna B.

Friday, November 18, 2011

Parmesan Cheese! It's Magic!

November 18, 2011

Good morning to you on this lovely sunny crisp morning.  There was a bit of ice on my car this morning, but it's all gone now.  I'm at work, so this will be a short post. 
Tootsie made out pretty good at her doctor appointment yesterday.  Except for the results of her blood tests (which we will get today),  she's doing pretty good.  She only has a little bit of sight in her right eye, but her weight is down.  Her prednisone dose is upped a little bit to help with her walking.  All in all, Tootsie is holding her own. 

I  read in a book that if your pet is a picky eater, and Lord knows that Tootsie is the pickiest, try sprinkling a bit of Parmesan cheese on top of their food.  Yesterday, I gave Tootsie doggie food for lunch (how dare I!!!) and sprinkled on the cheese.  Wowee!  She ate it all!!

We managed to get a couple of our errands done, but we did not come home with any new kitchen curtains.  Gosh, now I'll have to go out shopping again!! 

The leaves are falling quite rapidly from the trees, so I thought I would share this photo of a pretty street that I travel on my way to work.  Obviously, I took this before all the leaves fell.   I also used this photo for one of my photo class assignments.


Then I thought I would share a rather pretty photo of the walkway at one end of Plymouth Harbor.  I took this photo on October 1st, Worldwide Photo Walk Day.


Now it's time for me to get busy.  Mrs is stirring, and will be wanting her breakfast soon.  Till tomorrow, Y'all have a wonderful day.

Hugs, Edna B.

Thursday, November 17, 2011

Dancing Birds?

November 17, 2011

Good morning.  The sun is shining this morning, but we are excpecting rain sometime today.  Sad to say, it's a bit chilly this morning and I had to turn the heat back on.  I was so hoping that the warm weather would last a bit longer, but I've enjoyed it while we had it.

Tootsie and I have an errand to do this morning, and this afternoon she has a doctor appointment for a check up.  It's also time to pick up more meds for her.  I don't like to run out of them.  Maybe later this afternoon we'll have a chance to look for some new kitchen curtains.  There's nothing like new curtains to perk up a room. 

Last night, I was looking through my photos, and came across some great shots of the gulls at our local park.  Ever notice how graceful these beautiful birds are when they are flying?  They almost look like they are performing a ballet.




Actually this particular day, people had thrown crackers into the pond and all the birds were in a scurry to grab up some of the crackers.   This next gull looks menacing, but he is just very focused and zooming in on a cracker.  Aren't you glad you are not a cracker?


Now I must get busy here and put some clothes on.  That doesn't sound so good, does it.  I mean it's time to go from night clothes to day clothes.   Plus, I want to make some breakfast for myself and Tootsie. 

I'm looking out the window, and I see that the sun has already disappeared behind the clouds.  Maybe the rain will hold off until we get back home. Ok, that's all for this morning.  Till tomorrow,  Y'all have a wonderful day.

Hugs, Edna B.

Wednesday, November 16, 2011

Ballroom Jeans?

November 16, 2011

It's a bit gray today, but the temps will still in around 60.  There is some rain on the way, and starting tonight the temps will be dipping into the 40''s.  Well, the warm temps have been wonderful and very much appreciated.

Big news!  Yesterday, Eddie came over and put in two new windows for me.  The old windows were so bad that I always had to keep them covered over.  Now I'm looking forward to getting new blinds and curtains for them.    Gosh, I'm not used to all this wonderful light!!

Today, I really need to get out to the post office and mail a couple of boxes.  Oh my, I'm watching a commercial on TV for Ballroom Jeans for men.  They have an added gusset in the crotch area so that men can crouch down without singing soprano.  My mother would roll over in her grave if she could have seen this commercial.  What will tomorrow's TV bring?

Today's photo is one that I took a few days ago at work.  It's getting harder to get good photos because the outside of the windows need a good cleaning, and the plants and bushes in the backyard are getting overgrown.   This was the first time I've seen sparrows not wanting to share space at the feeder.


I think all of our hummingbirds have gone South already.  We've kept the feeders up and filled but now I'm thinking it's time to take them down and clean them and put them away till Spring.  I took this photo on a rainy day last July.  Enjoy, it will be several months before we see another hummingbird.


Now it's time to get the laundry started,  and find something good for Tootsie to eat.  Well, maybe I'll have a bite too.  Till tomorrow, Y'all have a fabulous day.

Hugs, Edna B.

Tuesday, November 15, 2011

Only Forty Shopping Days Till Christmas!

November 15, 2011

It's looking a bit gray outside this morning, so I think we'll be getting some rain today.  No problem, it's still warm.  I'm sitting here drinking coffee and watching the shopping channel.  They are showing holiday craft projects, photo scrapbooks and home crafted holiday cards.  Some of these things are sooooo pretty! 

I must say though that I'm not so crazy about the scrap pages.  I don't understand what's so pretty about a page with all sorts of do-dads pasted all over it with a little photo glued on somewhere.  I try to make the photo the main focus of the page, with a few elements to enhance the photo.  But then, our  differences is what makes the world go round!

Yesterday's mail brought my new calendars.  Oh wow, they came out so good!  I only have twenty of these printed to give as gifts, so I'm really happy when they come out nice.  This put me in a holiday mood, so I sat down and put the stamps on all my holiday cards.  Next, I have to start the gift wrapping.  This is not my funnest part so it takes me a while to get to it. 

I hung my new Christmas bow on my front door and took a photo to share with you.  I found this bow at Home Depot and I couldn't resist buying it.  Isn't this pretty?


This next photo shows the morning mist rising in the field across the street from where I work.  You really have to be quick because in just a few moments, the mist rises and the photo op is lost.  The little building is an antique corn shed.


Today, I'm going shopping to pick up a couple more gifts.  Have you noticed how quickly this month of November is flying by?  There are only forty days left to finish our Christmas shopping.  Actually, I only have a couple more weeks because a lot of my gifts have to be mailed out. 

Now it's time to give Tootsie her meds and decide what to have for breakfast.  Till tomorrow, Y'all have a magnificent day.

Hugs, Edna B.

Monday, November 14, 2011

To The Moon, Alice!

November 14, 2011

Good morning everybody.  It's another great new day, and I will be going home soon.  Today will be in the 60's and Tootsie and I will be outside enjoying it.  I have errands to do and a bit of shopping to pick up, then I think we will take a trip to the park.

A friend made a suggestion about my photos from yesterday, and I have to say "Thank you for reminding me."  One of my brother Artie's favorite sayings was "To the moon, Alice" (from the Honeymooners television show.)  Our mother's name was Alice, and let's just say that she was a bit strange at times.  So. for Cheryl and my brother, this is for you.


This morning, I am posting parts 3 & 4 of our kit, "Giving Thanks."   November is a month when a lot of families come from all over to be together for Thanksgiving Day.   This will be a fun kit for scrapping all your wonderful family photos.


Here are your download links:
EXPIRED

When you have finished downloading, stop by Su's blog and pick up her parts.  Make sure to take a moment to say thank you.  Here is Su's preview.


Now it's time to give one last check on the Mrs and get ready to go home.  I love Monday mornings!  My work shift is done for the week (usually), and the rest of the week is mine.  So till tomorrow, Y'all have a marvelous day.

Hugs, Edna B.

Sunday, November 13, 2011

Oh, What A Beautiful Morning!

November 13, 2011

Does that sound like the opening line to a Broadway song?  It is!  And it also describes what it is like outside this morning.  The weatherman is promising us a few nice days with a bit of rain sprinkled in.   He'll get no complaints from me.

The mailman (mail lady to be exact) brought my two large format prints yesterday.  Oh wow, I'm very happy with them.  My only problem is that I have to return the frame I had bought because of a nasty mark on the front of it.  Unfortunately, some things can't be seen until you unwrap them.  Maybe today, I'll have a chance to run out and pick up a couple new frames. 

Lately, there aren't so many flowers and birds to photograph.  But oh boy, that moon is simply gorgeous in the morning sky.  Here's a look at this morning's moon.


While I was outside taking pictures of the moon, a plane came streaking across the sky.  You know me, if it's interesting I'll photograph it!  So here's the plane carrying some lucky travelers to their long awaited vacation spots or home to their families.


You know, my blog is just two months shy of a four year anniversary.  I will have to start thinking of something special for an anniversary freebie.  If there's anything special you scrappers need, let me know.  All ideas are welcome.

Now I want to rustle up some breakfast for Miss Tootsie.  If your weather is as nice as ours, do get outside and enjoy it while it's here.  It's a gift!!  Till tomorrow, Y'all have a fantabulous day.

Hugs, Edna B.

Saturday, November 12, 2011

The Splendor Of Autumn Colors

November 12, 2011

Good morning.  I've been sitting here at my laptop for about an hour, going through some photos that I took yesterday on my way home from work.  It's a little after 3:30 am, and my eyes are finally starting to get tired.  Earlier in the evening, I fell asleep while watching my TV program, and by 2 am I was wide awake.  Unfortunately, I think this is a side effect of many years of working the overnight shift. 

Yesterday's photos are mostly to show the late color show that our trees are putting on.  This year the leaves turned color quite a bit later than usual.  I am guessing it's because of all the weird weather we've had this year.  Between all the rain, a hurricane and a N'oreaster, I'm surprised we have any leaves left to make the changes. 

However, as I drive around, I'm enjoying this beautiful Autumn splendor.  So today, I'm sharing it with you.




Sometimes I wonder what people are thinking about me when I pull my car over to the side of the street and start taking photos.  I have gotten some weird looks from some of the passerbys.  I'm thinking though, that these are the folks who haven't yet learned to stop and breath in the beauty that is all around us. 

For the last photo, I drove into a parking lot,  parked near the tree and pointed my camera upwards toward the sky.  This way I wouldn't have any of the buildings and traffic in my photo.  I was also quite pleased to notice that there were no cars at the post office across the street.  This meant that I wouldn't have to wait in a long line to mail my box.  Yoo Hoo, Edna!!  Where are you??  There are no cars because the post office is not open!  It doesn't open on holidays.   Some days it takes me a while to put two and two together.

On that note, I think I will crawl back into my cozy little bed and try to fall asleep again.  Till tomorrow, Y'all have a magnificent day.

Hugs, Edna B.

Friday, November 11, 2011

A One Of A Kind Day, 11-11-11

November 11, 2011

Did you notice?  Today is 11-11-11.  I don't think we'll se this again in our lifetime.  I think the last time we will see a date like is will be next year in December.  We had quite a bit of rain yesterday and last night, and I think we're in for a bit of it today too.  However, it's still in the 50's, so it's not so bad.

I'm at work now, so this will be a short post.  Today is Veteran's Day here in the U.S.  If you know one, or have one living near by, why not do something nice for him or her.  Random acts of kindness are awesome.  They are so appreciated and they make us feel good about ourselves.  Our veterans have given so much, it would be nice to give a little something back.  Try it, you'll like it!!

I have a photo to share that I took from my doorway yesterday while it was raining.  You know me, I love to photograph raindrops.  Not exactly the most exciting subject, but I find it quite challenging.  The beautiful  color in the background in my Red Japanese Maple tree.  I think this is what makes me like the photo so much.


I took the photo into Photoshop and applied a "Wicked" texture (from Pixel Dust Photo Art).  Then I applied a blending mode and another texture.   The results are really quite nice.  Depending on how my other large prints come out, I may have this one printed too.


As you can see, I didn't get very much done around the house yesterday.  I was too busy playing on my laptop.  However, the dust bunnies are starting to argue with one another, so I think this weekend I will have to give the place a good going over with the vacuum.

The mail man brought a couple more packages, which contained more Holiday gifts.  I do love shopping on line!  It makes it so much easier for me.  There's no rush, no going out in bad weather, and I can take my time and get just what I want. 

That's about it for this morning.  Mrs is beginning to stir so I must get busy here.  Till tomorrow, Y'all have a fantabulous day.

Hugs, Edna B.

Thursday, November 10, 2011

Gosh, I Thought It Was A Star!

November 10, 2011

Tis a gray and rather wet morning here in my little part of the world.  I cannot complain though.  It is still warm out and this is the  third day in a row that we haven't had to turn the heat on.  Actually almost four days.  I count this as one of our many blessings.

I guess I really have to get on the ball here and join up with a photo club.  I know I procrastinate, but my friends in Wisconsin keep winning awards at their clubs for their photography and now I'm feeling that I want to try too.  Mary Ann and Cheryl,  I aspire to take award winning photos like the two of you do.

According to my daughter in law, that big star that I was tying to photograph without much luck the other night was really Venus.  I am going to have to pay more attention to the news so that the next time something like this shows up I will be ready for it.

I don't take my tripod to work with me because let's face it, I'm there to work, not play outside with my camera and tripod.  So, you can assume safely (unless I state otherwise) that all my photos are hand held.  When I was taking photos of the moon the other night, I tried my best to get that "big star" in the photo.  It's not the best, but this is what I did manage to get.  It's straight from  the camera, only cropped to fit here.


The next morning, the mist across the street  was so deep that I went out to get a photo of it.  I find getting a good photo of the mist is quite challenging and I keep trying.


My last share photo is one that I took this morning.  I went outside to see how warm it was and had to stop and oooh and ahhh over my beautiful Red Japenese Maple.  Then I went back out with my camera for this photo.  Isn't this beautiful?


Now it's time to rustle up some lunch.  Tootsie is lying here with  that "feed me please" look on her face.  Maybe I'll cook up some scrambled eggs and green peppers.  Oh yummy!  That does sound good.  Till tomorrow, Y'all have a wonderful day.

Hugs, Edna B.  

Wednesday, November 9, 2011

I've Been A Busy Little Bee

November 9, 2011

Good morning.  I'm at work, and it's only 6 a.m. and quite dark outside still.  It will be interesting to see who comes in this morning to relieve me because the regular girl called out during the night. 

I found a new place on-line this morning that does printing of large formats.  After checking out all their info, I uploaded and ordered two 18"x24" prints.  I'm hoping they come out nice because I'm going to frame them and hang them in the house.  You can check it out.  http://www.theposterplace.com.

Don't ask me why I picked this size because my only excuse is that I found a frame at The Christmas Tree Shoppe the other day, and it looked like a good size so I bought it.  Then I found out that I had to shop around to find a place that did prints that size.  Duh!

Last night, the moon was big and round and bright.  When I got to work, I took a couple of photos before coming inside.  It was dark outside so I wasn't able to check my camera settings.  Here's what I  got without any flash.  Not too shabby.


If you look close, the moon sort of looks like a round melon.  Hmmmmm!  I will have to try taking more moon shots tonight at home when I'll have more time to watch what I'm doing.

I also have a freebie for you.  It's not much, just some papers I made from a photo of trees.  I hope you can use them.


You can download them here:  EXPIRED

Now it's time to check on the Mrs again, and then start packing up my things.  Till tomorrow, Y'all have a wonderful day.

Hugs, Edna B.