OUR LIFE ADVENTURES

MYSTERY SKIES

2012-01-28T14:43:00.000-08:00

I caught this site this afternoon as I opened the back door to let the pups out to play. This beautiful site stayed in my backyard for over 30 minutes.

LEAN ON ME MY FRIEND

2012-01-27T22:00:00.002-08:00

NATURES BEAUTY

2012-01-07T19:07:00.000-08:00

2012-01-05T06:00:00.000-08:00

2012-01-04T20:49:00.000-08:00

2012-01-03T09:26:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year

2012-01-02T18:23:00.001-08:00

And may you and your family have a year full of joy and good health.

A VERY PRETTY PICTURE

2011-12-30T19:55:00.003-08:00

Something beautiful from the internet.

MERRIEST OF CHRISTMAS TO EVERYONE!!

2011-12-19T10:55:00.002-08:00

2011-12-15T18:50:00.001-08:00

John Smith started the day early having set his alarm clock (MADE IN JAPAN ) for 6am.

While his coffeepot (MADE IN CHINA ) was perking,

he shaved with his electric razor (MADE IN HONG KONG ).

He put on a dress shirt (MADE IN SRI LANKA ),

designer jeans (MADE IN SINGAPORE )

and tennis shoes (MADE IN KOREA )

After cooking his breakfast in his new electric skillet (MADE IN INDIA )

he sat down with his calculator (MADE IN MEXICO ) to see how much he could spend today.

After setting his watch (MADE IN TAIWAN )

to the radio (MADE IN INDIA )

he got in his car (MADE IN GERMANY )

filled it with GAS (from SAUDI ARABIA)

and continued his search for a good paying AMERICAN JOB.

At the end of yet another discouraging and fruitless day

checking his Computer (MADE IN MALAYSIA ),

John decided to relax for a while.

He put on his sandals (MADE IN BRAZIL )

poured himself a glass of wine (MADE IN FRANCE )

and turned on his TV (MADE IN INDONESIA ),

and then wondered why he can't find a good paying job in AMERICA ..

SOME COLOR IN MY DAY

2011-11-28T17:06:00.000-08:00

A BEAUTIFUL WINDY DAY ON THE WASHINGTON COAST

2011-11-20T20:37:00.000-08:00

2011-10-18T19:11:00.002-07:00

There is nothing better than a resting spot beside as cool refreshing stream in the mountains.

2011-10-10T19:41:00.001-07:00

Early Spring in the Bitterroot Valley of Montana

Early Fall in the Bitterroot Valley of Montana

AT THE BEACH

2011-09-29T15:07:00.002-07:00

STORM ON THE BEACH

2011-09-27T16:34:00.000-07:00

SUNRISE ON MY STREET

2011-09-24T17:51:00.000-07:00

2011-09-05T07:00:00.001-07:00

A beautiful September sunset on the Washington Coast.

SUNSET ON THE WASHINGTON COAST

2011-08-05T18:14:00.004-07:00

SUNSET ON THE WASHINGTON COAST

2011-08-04T07:07:00.003-07:00

NATURES BEAUTY IN A QUARTER COIN SIZE ROSE

2011-08-02T06:25:00.002-07:00

SUNSET ON THE WASHINGTON COAST

2011-07-29T20:49:00.000-07:00

SUNSET AT WESTPORT

2011-07-28T15:50:00.003-07:00

SUNSETS OF WASHINGTON STATE

2011-07-27T21:05:00.002-07:00

End of day in Grayland ocean side campground.

YOU KNOW IT IS TO HOT WHEN..........

2011-05-28T12:25:00.000-07:00

YOUR ICE CREAM MELTS!!!

I'VE BEEN WONDERING....

2011-04-08T04:08:00.004-07:00

When are we finally grownup?

Is there a date, a time, a place in our lives where we know that we have grown up? Being more than 'adults'.

Adult sounds like we have reached that time in our lives when we are "grown up". And I know that isn't necessarily true. Not for me anyway.

I think I mean the time when you are grown up enough to accept all the things that have happened in your life. Does that ever arrive?

It hasn't knocked at my door yet.

I have survived many difficult issues in my life. Surgeries, death of dear friends, death of family, death of my husband, death of my dear father. And loss of my mother to Alzheimer's.

But I still don't feel grown up.

But I do feel beat up.

I imagine it all goes back to the Mother-Daughter relationship in my life.

Did you have a wonderful relationship with your Mother? Did you appreciate it? Did you tell her?
I didn't have any of that. I didn't have that loving Mother-Daughter relationship...not ever..in my life.

It has always been a mystery to me..our relationship. Even before my sister came along there wasn't much between us. I really don't remember anything about my mother until my younger sister came along when I was 5 years old. And my memories are of her holding , cuddling and loving my sister. No memory of her kind words directed my way. I felt that I was just in the way.

And that was the way it was all my life. She didn't seem to realize I needed her, wanted her love and attention. And I believe that is why my dad took me under his wing and tried to make up for what my mother was lacking. We spent hours in the evenings talking and sharing our days together. I am so thankful for what my dad was to me.

And then he said the words that I always knew were there. Always hanging in the air, hidden away in the closest like a hated old sweater never to be worn again. But being kept with the hope of renewal.

"I don't know why your Mother never liked you."

I was 35 years old.

That is the moment the adult in me left the room. I have always felt that my mother didn't like me but I have never heard those words spoken out loud. They sounded so sharp and painful and they could never be taken back.

That is when I realized I have never felt like an adult. How can you claim to be an adult when you are still craving so much from your childhood.
I never let my father know what those spoken words did to my heart that day. He didn't know I had lived with them in my heart all these years. He had no idea they were the words that were stealing my Adulthood from me.

I carefully put those words back where I had been keeping them..in the back of my mind.
And that is where they will live out their life..alone, in silence, in the dark recesses of my mind never to be spoken again.
I have found happiness in my life but it was long in coming. I was passed 50 when I decided that I would marry again. And a wonderful man came into my life at just the right time. He is kind and gentle, soft spoken, loving, fun and he has brought me more joy than I could ever have imagined in my life.
Yes, my dad would have been so excited about my new life..and good friends with my husband.
No, I do not feel that I am an adult yet. But when I decide what I want to be when I do grow up I will let you know and you can decide if I am really an Adult then.
Until then, I am loving this wonderful life.

Tsunami news

2011-03-11T09:09:00.002-08:00

We are all okay after the Tsunami that hit here this morning. Fortunately it was a small wave event by the time it reached our shores here in Washington state from Japan. Pray for the people of Japan

TAKE THE ROAD LESS TRAVELED

2011-02-06T20:35:00.001-08:00

And enjoy the ride!!!

SITES ON THE HARBOR

2011-01-13T19:16:00.000-08:00

Our weather is warming but we are having our winter rains. I don't mind the rain...I don't like the snow.

And of course the dog doesn't care if we have both..she just wants to go on her daily walk-abouts.

We encountered another Blue Heron not far from the house today.

As long as the dog keeps moving along the trail the bird doesn't move a feather. And because of his stillness, I don't believe that the dog is even aware of him.

Now, the ducks and the large Canadian Geese...that's another story. As soon as either of them see us coming along the path, they all launch into a loud chorus that half the city can hear.

And of course she is going to go running their way to see what all the commotion is about.

Dumb birds!

Smart dog!

MEMORIES OF MONTANA

2010-12-21T17:05:00.002-08:00

This is a photo I took while my husband and I were on a hike not far from our home while we were living in Montana.

As the moose came around the corner on our trail I was certain that it wouldn't be the moose that needed to step out of the way.

After surveying the area I decided (very quickly mind you!) that to the left of the trail was a creek...and I knew Moose did not mind getting in the water.

On the right side of the trail was a large rock fall. I figured we would have a better chance if we climbed up there cause at least we would have a bit of ammunition to use if the moose for some strange reason decided he wanted to climb the rock fall too.

We were able to climb up just this short distance up and off the trail before the moose decided he needed to be on his way. You can't see in this picture but he didn't take his eye off of us as he strolled by probably wondering why those silly people climbed up on that terrible rock fall!

Of course we were both very relieved that he was more interested in going on about his own business rather than getting after us. But the event made for a very memorable photograph. It always makes me smile when I see it and remember that incredible encounter in the mountains of Montana.

BYE FOR A BIT..

2010-07-21T15:59:00.001-07:00

We are just about ready to load the UHaul and return to our home by the sea so we will not be posting until next week. We will miss reading every one's updates but we will catch up with all of you then. Have a wonderful week end......and yes! we are so excited to be finally doing the last leg of this long, very long! journey into our new lives with Mistaya by the sea. Sea you soon! :)

WE ARE READY!!

2010-06-14T16:11:00.000-07:00

We are ready to return to our new home by the Sea. We will try to depart for there sometime this week. The pup and I are both ready to smell the salt air and enjoy the beautiful ocean so close to our new home again.

I will try to post photos as often as I can. Until then...Bonn Voyage!

MAY GOD BLESS THIS AIRLINE CAPTAIN

2010-05-21T15:32:00.000-07:00

He writes: My lead flight attendant came to me and said, "We have an H.R. on this flight." (H.R. stands for human remains.) "Are they military?" I asked.
'Yes', she said.

'Is there an escort?' I asked.

'Yes, I already assigned him a seat'.

'Would you please tell him to come to the flight deck. You can board him early," I said.

A short while later, a young army sergeant entered the flight deck. He was the image of the perfectly dressed soldier. He introduced himself and I asked him about his soldier. The escorts of these fallen soldiers talk about them as if they are still alive and still with us.

'My soldier is on his way back to Virginia ,' he said. He proceeded to answer my questions, but offered no words.

I asked him if there was anything I could do for him and he said no. I told him that he had the toughest job in the military and that I appreciated the work that he does for the families of our fallen soldiers. The first officer and I got up out of our seats to shake his hand. He left the flight deck to find his seat.

We completed our preflight checks, pushed back and performed an uneventful departure. About 30 minutes into our flight I received a call from the lead flight attendant in the cabin. 'I just found out the family of the soldier we are carrying, is on board', she said. She then proceeded to tell me that the father, mother, wife and 2-year old daughter were escorting their son, husband, and father home. The family was upset because they were unable to see the container that the soldier was in before we left. We were on our way to a major hub at which the family was going to wait four hours for the connecting flight home to Virginia .

The father of the soldier told the flight attendant that knowing his son was below him in the cargo compartment and being unable to see him was too much for him and the family to bear. He had asked the flight attendant if there was anything that could be done to allow them to see him upon our arrival. The family wanted to be outside by the cargo door to watch the soldier being taken off the airplane.. I could hear the desperation in the flight attendants voice when she asked me if there was anything I could do. 'I'm on it', I said. I told her that I would get back to her.

Airborne communication with my company normally occurs in the form of e-mail like messages. I decided to bypass this system and contact my flight dispatcher directly on a secondary radio. There is a radio operator in the operations control center who connects you to the telephone of the dispatcher. I was in direct contact with the dispatcher. I explained the situation I had on board with the family and what it was the family wanted.

He said he understood and that he would get back to me.

Two hours went by and I had not heard from the dispatcher. We were going to get busy soon and I needed to know what to tell the family. I sent a text message asking for an update. I saved the return message from the dispatcher and the following is the text:

'Captain, sorry it has taken so long to get back to you. There is policy on this now and I had to check on a few things. Upon your arrival a dedicated escort team will meet the aircraft. The team will escort the family to the ramp and plane side. A van will be used to load the remains with a secondary van for the family. The family will be taken to their departure area and escorted into the terminal where the remains can be seen on the ramp. It is a private area for the family only. When the connecting aircraft arrives, the family will be escorted onto the ramp and plane side to watch the remains being loaded for the final leg home. Captain, most of us here in flight control are veterans. Please pass our condolences on to the family. Thanks.'

I sent a message back telling flight control thanks for a good job. I printed out the message and gave it to the lead flight attendant to pass on to the father. The lead flight attendant was very thankful and told me, 'You have no idea how much this will mean to them.'

Things started getting busy for the descent, approach and landing. After landing, we cleared the runway and taxied to the ramp area. The ramp is huge with 15 gates on either side of the alleyway. It is always a busy area with aircraft maneuvering every which way to enter and exit. When we entered the ramp and checked in with the ramp controller, we were told that all traffic was being held for us.

'There is a team in place to meet the aircraft', we were told. It looked like it was all coming together, then I realized that once we turned the seat belt sign off, everyone would stand up at once and delay the family from getting off the airplane. As we approached our gate, I asked the copilot to tell the ramp controller we were going to stop short of the gate to make an announcement to the passengers. He did that and the ramp controller said, 'Take your time.'

I stopped the aircraft and set the parking brake. I pushed the public address button and said, 'Ladies and gentleman, this is your Captain speaking, I have stopped short of our gate to make a special announcement. We have a passenger on board who deserves our honor and respect. His Name is Private XXXXXX, a soldier who recently lost his life. Private XXXXXX is under your feet in the cargo hold. Escorting him today is Army Sergeant XXXXXXX. Also, on board are his father, mother, wife, and daughter. Your entire flight crew is asking for all passengers to remain in their seats to allow the family to exit the aircraft first. Thank you.'

We continued the turn to the gate, came to a stop and started our shutdown procedures. A couple of minutes later I opened the cockpit door. I found the two forward flight attendants crying, something you just do not see. I was told that after we came to a stop, every passenger on the aircraft stayed in their seats, waiting for the family to exit the aircraft.

When the family got up and gathered their things, a passenger slowly started to clap his hands. Moments later more passengers joined in and soon the entire aircraft was clapping. Words of 'God Bless You', I'm sorry, thank you, be proud, and other kind words were uttered to the family as they made their way down the aisle and out of the airplane. They were escorted down to the ramp to finally be with their loved one.

Many of the passengers disembarking thanked me for the announcement I had made. They were just words, I told them, I could say them over and over again, but nothing I say will bring back that brave soldier.

I respectfully ask that all of you reflect on this event and the sacrifices that millions of our men and women have made to ensure our freedom and safety in these United States of AMERICA .

Foot note: As a Viet Nam Veteran I can only think of all the veterans including the ones that rode below the deck on their way home and how they were treated. When I read things like this, I am proud that our country has not turned their backs on our soldiers returning from the various war zones today and give them the respect they so deserve. I know every one who has served their country who reads this will have tears in their eyes, including me.

Prayer:

'Lord, hold our troops in your loving hands. Protect them as they protect us.

Bless them and their families for the selfless acts they perform for us in our time of need. Amen

WILDLIFE WEDNESDAY

2010-02-10T19:23:00.004-08:00

I found this in my photo file and I believe I received it some time ago in a email. It think it is beautiful...of course Eagles are one of my favorite birds.
I have looked at this post several times and I just can't decided if this is a photo or a drawing. I am leaning towards the drawing thing....but I am still not sure!

SUNDAY WILDERNESS

2010-01-31T19:25:00.003-08:00

Just up the road a bit. Back at our house there is only about 1/2 inch of snow. Strange winter this year.

HAWK LIVING IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD

2010-01-25T19:39:00.004-08:00

This is a Rough-legged Hawk living in the neighborhood lately. He stands about 22 inches high and has a wing span of 4 and 1/2 feet.

I had pulled to the side of the road today as I was driving into town hoping to get a photo of this beautiful bird. I got the shot of him sitting on the electrical pole, then just as I put the camera back up to my eye he took flight. I was thrilled to see that I actually caught him in full wing...such a beautiful sight!

MY NEW YEAR WISH FOR YOU

2010-01-01T19:44:00.003-08:00

May Peace break into your house,

And may thieves come to steal your debts.

May the pockets of your jeans become a magnet for $100 bills.

May love stick to your face like Vaseline,

And may laughter assault your lips.

May your clothes smell of success,

And may happiness slap you across the face.

And may your tears be that of joy.

May the New Year bring you everything you wish for and more.

FRIDAY FLOWERS

2010-01-01T18:01:00.010-08:00

You will notice immediately that I am showing a pink flower theme today. The skies have been a bit cloudy and grey and it is raining very hard at the moment so I decided that I needed a bright color in my life at this moment. So I have included photos of my pretty pink favorites from my yard.
This is my lovely Betty Boop Rose. Unfortunately she did not survive that hard freeze we received in June. She was so pretty.

This is a pretty Tulip that grew in my garden in Washington State. I hope to have many more tulips in our new home on the coast of Washington this summer.

This beautiful pink rose is one of my favorite flowers in my garden. Well, I must say after posting these Pink Beauties, that I do feel a bit better about the day. The seed catalogs are beginning to arrive so I can spend my wet, snowy days planning and dreaming until spring arrives...where ever we may be!

WHAT A BEAUTIFUL DAY!

2009-12-11T14:25:00.002-08:00

I was amazed when I looked at the thermometer on the back deck and it actually said 34 degrees!! I couldn't believe it. So I grabbed my coat, hat and gloves...and the pup...and headed out the door for a wonderful 30 minute walk on our little dirt road.

This photo was taken as we were returning home. What amazing beauty.

It didn't take me long to remember why I loved to be out in the world on my walks. It clears my mind from all the little unimportant silly things that I worry about throughout the day, and the clear clean air fills my lungs and my soul. I returned home with a smile on my face and even my spirit was smiling.

YES, IT'S STILL COLD HERE

2009-12-09T11:22:00.004-08:00

I know I have been whining about the cold weather here lately but gosh, with this terrible weather there just isn't much else to talk about.

But I have to tell you that yesterday really proved my point about how cold it has been here lately....I got brave enough to drive into our little town to buy some groceries. One of the first things you will notice when you come to Montana is that during the winter when residents stop at the store...or anywhere....they leave their vehicles running. I took me a bit to go away and leave the truck running but in this cold weather the engine cools down so fast.

Okay, back to the my subject. While doing my shopping I stopped in the bakery to buy a loaf of bread and found my favorite kind at the end of the aisle. As I picked up the loaf I thought it felt kind of heavy then I realized it was frozen!!! When I mentioned this to the clerk she said it was probably because the deliver man had just filled the shelves with the bread and because it is so cold outside that the bread froze while in the delivery truck. Okay...you have got to admit that it is really cold here!
So until the weather improves to at least 70 degrees I am going to complain about this bitter cold weather....and toast my bread before I eat it!

A SCAM BEING CARRIED ON BY STORE CLERKS

2009-12-09T10:53:00.003-08:00

It happened at Wal-Mart a month ago. I bought a bunch of stuff, over $150, & I glanced at my receipt as the cashier was handing me the bags. I saw a cash-back of $40. I told her I didn't request a cash back & to delete it. She said I'd have to take the $40 because she couldn't delete it. I told her to call a supervisor.
Supervisor came & said I'd have to take it. I said NO! Taking the $40 would be a cash advance against my Discover & I wasn't paying interest on a cash advance!!!!! If they couldn't delete it then they would have to delete the whole order.
So the supervisor had the cashier delete the whole order & re-scan everything! The second time I looked at the electronic pad before I signed & a cash-back of $20 popped up. At that point I told the cashier & she deleted it. The total came out right. The cashier agreed that the electronic pad must be defective.
Obviously the cashier knew the electronic pad was defective because she NEVER offered me the $40 at the beginning.
Can you imagine how many people went through before me & at the end of her shift how much money she pocketed?

Just to alert everyone. My co worker went to Wal-Mart last week. She had her items rung up by the cashier. The cashier hurried her along and didn't give her a receipt. She asked the cashier for a receipt and the cashier was annoyed and gave it to her. My co worker didn't look at her receipt until later that night. The receipt showed that she asked for $20 cash back. SHE DID NOT ASK FOR CASH BACK! My co-worker called Wal-Mart who investigated but could not see the cashier pocket the money.
She then called her niece who works for the bank and her niece told her this. This is a new scam going on. The cashier will key in that you asked for cash back and then hand it to her friend who is the next person in line.
Please, please, please check your receipts right away when using credit or debit cards! This is NOT limited to Wal-Mart, although they are the largest retailer so they have the most incidents.

I am adding to this. My husband and I were in Wal-Mart and paying with credit card when my husband went to sign the credit card signer he just happen to notice there was a $20 cash back added. He told the cashier that he did not ask nor want cash back and she said this machine has been messing up and she canceled it. We really didn't think anything of it until we read this email.

THIS SCAM CAN BE DONE ANYWHERE, AT ANY RETAIL OR WHOLESALE LOCATION!!!

I CAN NOT VERIFY THIS EMAIL BUT IT SURE DOESN'T HURT TO ALWAYS EXAMINE YOUR RECEIPTS BEFORE YOU LEAVE THE STORE. I WORKED IN RETAIL FOR MANY YEARS SO I KNOW MANY STRANGE SCAMS CAN HAPPEN BY THE NICEST CLERKS!

THURSDAY NATURE

2009-12-03T17:52:00.003-08:00

Our temperature at 7:00 was 4 degrees below zero but because there are no clouds to be seen...hence the low temperates...we are blessed with magnificent blue skies during the day. I took this photo mid morning and the sun was slowing trying to warm things a bit. It didn't work but it sure felt good streaming through the living room windows all afternoon. When they gave Montana the slogan "Big Sky Country" they were absolutely correct! I have never found blue skies like we have here anywhere I have ever been.

MONDAY IMAGE

2009-11-30T11:40:00.004-08:00

Another Holiday is over and everyone seems to be talking about the next one already. I myself, I don't like to hurry things in my life. Maybe it's my age, maybe I have gained a bit of wisdom after all these years.

I remember as a youth that when I went to school on Monday, Friday seemed like a lifetime away. And I seem to spend a good deal of time trying to wish away my long week, only to feel like my weekend had 'flown by'.
I have discovered that moments in time can be elusive..traveling faster than I ever realized they could. Why is it now, now that I am old enough to appreciate my days, my moments in my life, each beautiful day seems to go by so fast?
I am at this point in life where I am happier than I have ever been in my life. Happier with myself, so happy with my marriage, happy where my relationships are within my family, so happy with the world around me.
So why is time flying by now?
Of course I know why.
It is because I have finally grown the wisdom to appreciate each small moments in my day...a short phone call from a dear Friend, a few moments of handholding as my husband and I walk hand in hand to the mailbox, the smile in his eyes as we sit together eating our dinner. Even the time we spend together cuddled up on the couch watching our favorite TV show. Even the TV programs seem shorter.
Yes, I did find my love late in life and that adds to my frustration that these days go by so quickly. I want a life time of this...20, 30 40 years of this. But I know I can't and that can feel very sad. But I am sure that is what makes our love so strong and special...we have waited a lifetime for this love and we have been fortunate enough to find it in this lifetime. And we both are spending almost every moment of our days living it and appreciating each other.
I wish I could tell the Youth of today..."Slow down"..."Enjoy this moment"..."It will never happen again". But of course I know I can't and I know if someone had tried to tell me the same thing 40 our 50 years ago I too, would not have listen because I had all the time in the world. Yes, didn't we all? But they too have this time of wisdom to look forward to. That's the best part, they too will get their chance. And I know they too will wonder "Where has the time gone?"

FRIDAY FLOWERS

2009-11-27T18:16:00.006-08:00

Okay, now I am definitely ready for spring! I love daffodils and had these planted in my garden in Washington state. I haven't planted any here in Montana because the springs are so cool here. But they will be back in my life again, I am sure.
This exquisite Iris is one of my favorites. It is a Siberian Iris and grows very well here in Montana.

This pretty flower grows on a stem about 3 feet tall and it's leaves are spike like and are soft and blow so pretty in the breeze. All the books say this flower needs mild winters but this plant has survived, been divided a few times, and has stood temperature of 20 degree's below zero here in my garden. The colors are clear and vibrant with such interesting designs in the center of each flower. The beautiful tall leaves stay green all summer and die slowly into winter. I have had no problems dividing them any time through out the growing season.

I highly recommend this gem for your garden.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING

2009-11-26T17:57:00.003-08:00

Happy Thanksgiving to all my friends in blog land and thank you all for returning to read my blog. I enjoy reading your comments as much as I enjoy writing about my daily adventures. Stay tuned for another amazing adventure for us coming in the very near future!!
This Turkey had the nerve to walk through our front yard. I don't think he understands that there will not be any Presidential Pardons around here this year!!!
Happy Turkey day to all.

THE GREATEST SUMMER VACATIONS ON EARTH

2009-11-25T14:57:00.016-08:00

I have told you that I would post about what I did during my summer vacations from school when I was a bit younger, so now is the time.

My siblings and I had a dream summer job. I am sure you have heard the saying "I want to run away and join a Circus." Well, I did! Actually, my 3 brothers, my younger sister and even my mom and dad did!

It all started when a teacher at school started a tumbling team in the mid 50's. It was so well received that he soon added juggling, unicycles, parallel bars, and spring board. As the kids became more experience the idea of adding circus acts grew. It moved to the local Y.M.C.A. and grew and grew. It wasn't long before there were High Wire acts, low wire, fire eating, even the flying trapeze. Membership grew to more than 75 young people from 3 years old to seniors in high school. Many parents traveled with the circus when they could, and acted as chaperons, helping to cook the many meals, doing laundry and offering a comforting shoulder to those away from home the first time. Many times we were out on the road traveling from town to town performing and didn't return home for several weeks.

This activity provide me the most amazing childhood anyone could ever imagine. We were like one big family and enjoyed all the many adventures and places we saw as we traveled from our home base in Wenatchee, Washington, to Alaska and all the way to California and many small towns between the two. We even performed in the Seattle World's Fair and met many movies stars while performing there.

Yes, running away and joining the Circus really is possible!!

We went by the name 'The Wenatchee Youth Circus' and were billed as "The Greatest Little Show On Earth" and you know, I think we really were!

The above photo is of me and my friend Marsha. It just goes to show that if I can juggle, any one can!

That's me doing my thing on what they call The Swinging Ladders. The ladder is kept in motion by the rope you can see that is tied to the top rung and there is a young man under me that keeps me in motion as I go through a series of tricks. Very fun.

This act is called The Spanish Web. Again someone is below me keep a bit of tension on this thick web as I do various tricks while hanging by my ankle or wrist. I really loved this act...a lot of fast motion as we were spun around during some tricks.

This act was a balancing act as we stood on these large wooden balls and did different tricks. In this photo I have just gone up and over a board that is much like a titter board while walking on one of this large balls. The only time I had trouble with this stunt was when we were performing in the rain. I just couldn't get enough traction on that smooth service.

And then there was my favorite act..THE DOUBLE TRAPEZE!

I loved this act the most out of all the things I did in the Circus. I performed this act for about 8 years and the early years was performed with my oldest brother working above me.

Hanging by your neck isn't difficult....once you get used to it and get your neck and shoulder muscles built up. I would hold my arms close to my body then spin myself as fast as I could. As I ended the spin I would put out my arms and my brother would grasp hold of them when I had slowed almost to a stop. The audience always enjoyed this move and it was always my favorite all those years.

I think back to all the places we saw, and the things we did, and sometimes I still can't believe my own childhood. And to have all of my family there....including my parents, made it the greatest childhood of all!

SATURDAY MORNINGS

2009-11-21T10:17:00.008-08:00

Have you ever thought back to Saturday mornings when you still lived at home as a kid? Do you remember what you did on Saturday mornings. I can remember that Friday night was my favorite because it meant I didn't have to go back to school for 2 whole days.

And I think I remember my Saturdays..at least what was important to me...I seem to remember I had some type of chores to do...boy that sounds like an outdated phrase! I think it was ironing or something like that and most likely straightening and cleaning my bedroom. I always had to share the bedroom with my sister so it was a big event.

But the rest of the day I can remember like it was yesterday........

The moment I could get away I ran across the road, down through the neighbors orchard and arrived at the small barn near the river that held the important bridle and a can of grain. But my adventure was just beginning.

Another distance of about a 1/2 mile I would come to a clearing where I could see the 3 magnificent horses as they grazed quietly in the meadow. Now the adventure began.
I am sure they grew accustomed to this Saturday ritual but the routine rarely changed. I approached them with the bridle hung over my shoulder in hopes that just maybe this time they wouldn't see it. I had to make sure the bucket had plenty of grain as they knew how to play this game very well.

They would see me coming and begin to wander just far enough ahead of me to keep themselves out of reach. This game of tag could go on for an hour with neither of us willing to give up.

I suppose they would finally figure that once again I was not giving up as they eventually came to a stop an waited for me to approach. And my horse of choice was usually "Flicka" as he was truly a joy to ride. And in those days I did not bother to put a saddle on him so we both felt free and happy as the wind blew through our 'manes'.

So as you can see I usually spent more than half of the morning convincing the horses I was really going to ride one of them then the rest of Saturday afternoon spending my time in my own version of Heaven.

Those were the days when parents didn't have to worry about their children..our communities were safe and my parents always knew exactly where I was...at the river riding the horses. No, they were not our horses: I had wonderful neighbors who allowed me to ride the horses anytime I wanted. And believe me, if I could have slept in that barn I certainly would have!

My parents always said I was born being crazy about horses. On any of our vacations I was the one with me face pressed close to the car window in hopes of seeing a beautiful horse somewhere off in an field.

It wasn't until I married that I was blessed with my first horse of my very own! This started me down the road of a life with many different horses and I enjoyed many different types of riding skills with each one. I have been trail riding, barrel racing - and many other 'speed events' that go along with that.

But my favorite was my time spent in the Performance Shows with my horse Dusty. He was a beauty and by far my favorite. He was the only horse that I had that strangers would come up to me and tell me what a beautiful horse I had.

Yes, he was a beauty, his coat shined like a brand new penny and hes eyes were so large, soft and brown. He enjoyed the crowds and even the judges when they came close to him. He was a definite show off as he loved performing in front of the crowd. In his very first performance class he took first place out of 27 horses. And he did seem so proud! I was in shock!!

I do believe he thought he was a dog as he would follow me anywhere...including in the house if I didn't close the door behind me.

We were very bonded souls and I believe that was because he was a birthday present to me..because he was born on my birthday.

So my childhood dreams really did come true and I have enjoyed the love of horses every day of my life.

Tomorrow I will tell you what I did during my summer vacations from school...an amazing life in deed!

I JUST LOVE CRAIGS LIST!

2009-11-18T11:46:00.002-08:00

AN ACTUAL CRAIG'S LIST PERSONALS AD

To the Guy Who Tried to Mug Me in Downtown Savannah night before last. Date: 2009-05-27, 1 :43 a.m. E.S.T.

I was the guy wearing the black Burberry jacket that you demanded that I hand over, shortly after you pulled the knife on me and my girlfriend, threatening our lives. You also asked for my girlfriend's purse and earrings. I can only hope that you somehow come across this rather important message.

First, I'd like to apologize for your embarrassment; I didn't expect you to actually crap in your pants when I drew my pistol after you took my jacket. The evening was not that cold, and I was wearing the jacket for a reason. My girlfriend had just bought me that Kimber Model 1911 .45 ACP pistol for my birthday, and we had picked up a shoulder holster for it that very evening. Obviously you agree that it is a very intimidating weapon when pointed at your head ... isn't it?!

I know it probably wasn't fun walking back to wherever you'd come from with that brown sludge in your pants. I'm sure it was even worse walking bare-footed since I made you leave your shoes, cell phone, and wallet with me. [That prevented you from calling or running to your buddies to come help mug us again].

After I called your mother or "Momma" as you had her listed in your cell, I explained the entire episode of what you'd done.

Then I went and filled up my gas tank as well as those of four other people in the gas station, -- on your credit card. The guy with the big motor home took 150 gallons and was extremely grateful!

I gave your shoes to a homeless guy outside Vinnie Van Go Go's, along with all the cash in your wallet. [That made his day!]

I then threw your wallet into the big pink "pimp mobile" that was parked at the curb ... after I broke the windshield and side window and keyed the entire driver's side of the car.

Later, I called a bunch of phone sex numbers from your cell phone. Ma Bell just now shut down the line, although I only used the phone for a little over a day now, so what 's going on with that?

Earlier, I managed to get in two threatening phone calls to the DA's office and one to the FBI, while mentioning President Obama as my possible target. The FBI guy seemed really intense and we had a nice long chat (I guess while he traced your number etc.).

In a way, perhaps I should apologize for not killing you ... but I feel this type of retribution is a far more appropriate punishment for your threatened crime. I wish you well as you try to sort through some of these rather immediate pressing issues, and can only hope that you have the opportunity to reflect upon, and perhaps reconsider, the career path you've chosen to pursue in life.

Remember, next time you might not be so lucky. Have a good day!

Thoughtfully yours, Alex

P.S. Remember this motto ... An armed society makes for a more civil society!

TUESDAY TOONS

2009-11-17T16:16:00.003-08:00

I am sorry I have been so absent the last few days. I have fallen into the Facebook adventure. I am enjoying 'seeing' so many people I went to school with...a lot of them from grade school clear through high school. It really is a fun and easy way to keep in touch with so many friends at once.

So below is a very cute email I received today and it is a great TUESDAY TOON.

WHERE TO SEND THE BILL

A man suffered a serious heart attack and had open heart bypass surgery.

He awakened from the surgery to find himself in the care of nuns at the Cabrini Catholic Hospital .

As he was recovering, a nun asked him questions regarding how he was going to pay for his treatment.

She asked if he had health insurance.

He replied, in a raspy voice, 'No health insurance.'

The nun asked if he had any money in the bank.

He replied. 'No money in the bank.'

The nun asked, 'Do you have a relative who could help you?'

He said, 'I only have a spinster sister, who is a nun..'

The nun became agitated and announced loudly, 'Nuns are not spinsters! Nuns are married to God.'

The patient replied, 'Send the bill to my Brother-in-Law.'

THURSDAY NATURE

2009-11-12T11:17:00.006-08:00

SUNDAY WILDERNESS

2009-11-01T11:41:00.002-08:00

I do not know who took this beautiful photo or where it was taken but I find it amazing. What a wonderful site.

(photo from the Internet)

WILDLIFE WEDNESDAY AND RULES OF MONTANA

2009-10-28T18:46:00.003-07:00

Cowboy rules for:
Arizona, Texas, Oklahoma, Colorado, New Mexico, Wyoming, Montana, Utah, Idaho, Oregon and the rest of the Wild West are as follows:

1. Pull your pants up. You look like an idiot.

2. Turn your cap right, your head ain't crooked.

3. Let's get this straight: it's called a 'gravel road.' I drive a pickup truck because I want to. No matter how slow you drive, you're gonna get dust on your Lexus. Drive it or get out of the way.

4. They are cattle. That's why they smell like cattle. They smell like money to us. Get over it. Don't like it? I-10 & I-40 & I-80 go east and west, I-17 & I-15 & I-5 goes north and south. Pick one and go.

5. So you have a $60,000 car. We're impressed. We have $250,000 Combines that are driven only 3 weeks a year.

6. Every person in the Wild West waves. It's called being friendly. Try to understand the concept.

7. If that cell phone rings while a bunch of geese/pheasants/ducks/doves are comin' in during a hunt, we WILL shoot it outta your hand. You better hope you don't have it up to your ear at the time.

8. Yeah. We eat trout, salmon, deer and elk. You really want sushi and caviar? It's available at the corner bait shop.

9. The 'Opener' refers to the first day of deer season. It's a religious holiday held the closest Saturday to the first of November.

10. We open doors for women. That's applied to all women, regardless of age.

11. No, there's no 'vegetarian special' on the menu. Order steak, or you can order the Chef's Salad and pick off the 2 pounds of ham and turkey.

12. When we fill out a table, there are three main dishes: meats, vegetables, and breads. We use three spices: salt, pepper, and ketchup! Oh, yeah...We don't care what you folks in Cincinnati call that stuff you eat...IT AIN'T REAL CHILI!!

13. You bring 'Coke' into my house, it better be brown, wet and served over ice. You bring 'Mary Jane' into my house, she better be cute, know how to shoot, drive a truck, and have long hair.

14. College and High School Football is as important here as the Giants, the Yankees, the Mets, the Lakers and the Knicks, and a dang site more fun to watch.

15. Yeah, we have golf courses. But don't hit the water hazards - it spooks the fish.

16. Turn down that blasted car stereo! That thumpity-thump crap ain't music, anyway. We don't want to hear it anymore than we want to see your boxers! Refer back to #1!

A true Westerner will send this to at least 10 others and a few new friends that probably won't get it, but we're friendly so we share in hopes you can begin to understand what a real life is all about!!!

photo courtesy of the Internet.

WILDLIFE WEDNESDAY

2009-10-21T12:15:00.002-07:00

Thank you Stacy for another wonderful photo. Stacy forwards me the most amazing pictures!

MONDAY IMAGE

2009-10-20T07:14:00.002-07:00

Someone sure has a lot of talent and an exceptional large amont of time on their hands!

SATURDAY SKIES

2009-10-17T07:47:00.002-07:00

I took this photo early this morning. Such beautiful colors caused by the rising sun. Getting up early does have it's rewards.

SAD SATURDAY SKIES

2009-10-10T21:40:00.002-07:00

Our weather has turned bitter cold during the last few days. We had a high of 28 today.

I lost my dear friend today...My Dear sister-in-law Connie. She battled 3 different forms of cancer for the last 10 months and today she ended her battle. Connie and I met in High School and a few years after graduation I introduced her to my brother and they have been together ever since. She was a wonderful friend, sister-in-law, and a incredible wife to my brother. I will miss you forever Connie, my sweet friend.

THURSDAY NATURE

2009-10-08T19:16:00.003-07:00

Mother Nature brought Old Man Winter here to visit us today and certainly left us their "calling card"! We had about 2 inches of snow by the time they moved on to share there covering with someone else. I am pretty sure that this date on my calender is still supposed to be considered "fall" but it certainly doesn't look like it to me!

SUNDAY WILDERNESS

2009-10-04T15:02:00.008-07:00

I spent part of the afternoon harvesting Poppy seed pods from the neighbors garden. They look so wonderful in flower arrangements after they have dried. But there was such a cold wind this afternoon that I finally told my neighbor that I would try to come back sometime during the week when it was a bit warmer. The temperature did not get above 35 degrees today and there was a very bitter cold wind too.

So I am home enjoying the warmth of my comfortable couch!

SATURDAY SKIES

2009-10-03T19:02:00.006-07:00

Our skies have been clear at night with the beautiful Moon covering everything with pretty light which makes the mornings very cold and crisp but the warm sun joins us every day.

And the sharpness in the cool air smells so good that you hardly notice the quickly changing color of Nature all around us.

But the suddenly growing winter coats of the horses in the pasture next to us and the hurried pace of the little Squirrels in our trees tells us that the season is changing quickly.

FRIDAY FLOWERS

2009-10-02T13:21:00.004-07:00

My Daisy's are just about to shed their seeds and I will attempt to harvest as many as possible. I plan to make a very large Daisy bed next spring and I want these colorful beauties to be the focal point.

I just hope I can do the harvesting before the snow falls on their little heads.

We did have some snow in the mountain tops around us yesterday morning but today it is just cold without any noticeable rise in the temperature throughout the day. But that's better than snow! So I guess it's time to unpack the big beautiful winter comforter to put back on the bed. Gosh, I love summer.

AUTUMN SEEMS TO BE HERE

2009-10-01T15:57:00.003-07:00

The night temperatures have been dropping into the 20's here lately so the foliage in the neighborhood is turning such wonderful colors. That is about the only thing I like about fall because I really don't look forward to what follows.....Winter.
So for now I am just going to enjoy the brilliant colors that are outside my windows and try to stay inside in the warmth of the sunshine that is streaming through my living room window.

WEDNESDAY WILDLIFE

2009-09-30T12:21:00.000-07:00

There's one in every crowd!

MONDAY IMAGE

2009-09-30T11:52:00.004-07:00

American version of a "SHOE TREE"

This tree was spotted out in the middle of no where along the road in central Oregon. Click on the photo to enlarge it so you can easily see what is really hanging from this tree. I can't even imagine how this one started!!

FRIDAY FLOWERS

2009-09-30T10:29:00.002-07:00

We have company coming so we are busy preparing the guest bedroom. My posts will be sparse for the next few days so please bare with me as I will be posting again soon.

THE REAL MEANING OF WORDS

2009-09-24T18:52:00.013-07:00

DIVINE

FRIENDSHIP

RESCUE

RESPECT

PATIENCE

PAIN

TUESDAY TOONES

2009-09-22T08:13:00.006-07:00

My wife sat down on the couch next to me as I was flipping channels. She asked, 'What's on TV?'

I said, 'Dust.

And then the fight started...
**********************************************************************
My wife told me what she wanted for our upcoming anniversary. She said, 'I want something shiny that goes from 0 to 150 in about 3 seconds..

I bought her a scale.

And then the fight started...
************************************************************************
My wife and I were sitting at a table at my high school reunion, and I kept staring at a drunken lady swigging her drink as she sat alone at a nearby table.

My wife asked, 'Do you know her?'

'Yes,' I sighed, 'She's my old girlfriend. I understand she took to drinking right after we split up those many years ago, and I hear she hasn't been sober since.

'My God!' says my wife, 'who would think a person could go on celebrating that long?'

And then the fight started...
***********************************************************************
A woman is standing nude, looking in the bedroom mirror. She is not happy with what she sees and says to her husband, 'I feel horrible; I look old, fat and ugly..

I really need you to pay me a compliment..

The husband replies, 'You still have good eyesight.

And then the fight started.....
***********************************************************************
A man and a woman were asleep like two innocent babies.
Suddenly, at 3 o'clock in the morning, a loud noise came from outside.

The woman, bewildered, jumped up from the bed and yelled at the man 'Holy crap.
That must be my husband!'

So the man jumped out of the bed; scared and naked jumped out the window. He smashed himself on the ground, ran through a thorn bush and to his car as fast as he could go.

A few minutes later he returned and went up to the bedroom and screamed at the woman, 'I AM your husband!'

The woman yelled back, 'Yeah, then why were you running?'

And then the fight started.....
***********************************************************************
Saturday morning I got up early, quietly dressed, made my lunch, grabbed the dog, and slipped quietly into the garage.

I hooked up the boat up to the truck, and proceeded to back out into a torrential downpour.

The wind was blowing 50 mph, so I pulled back into the garage, turned on the radio, and discovered that the weather would be bad all day. I went back into the house, quietly undressed, and slipped back into bed.

I cuddled up to my wife's back, now with a different anticipation, and whispered, 'The weather out there is terrible. '

My loving wife of 10 years replied, 'Can you believe my stupid husband is out fishing in that?'

And then the fight started ...
************************************************************************
My wife and I are watching Who Wants To Be A Millionaire while we were in bed. I turned to her and said, "Do you want to have sex?"

"No," she answered.

I then said, "Is that your final answer?"

She didn't even look at me this time, simply saying "Yes."

So I said, "Then I'd like to phone a friend."

And then the fight started....
***********************************************************************
I took my wife to a restaurant. The waiter, for some reason, took my order first.

"I'll have the strip steak, medium rare, please."

He said, "Aren't you worried about the mad cow?"

"Nah, she can order for herself."

And then the fight started.....

*********************************************************************

THANK YOU STACY FOR THIS EMAIL!!!

TUESDAY TOONS

2009-09-16T18:16:00.001-07:00

2 QUARTERS or a DOLLAR BILL

A young boy enters a barber shop and the barber whispers to his customer,' This is the dumbest kid in the world. Watch while I prove it to you.'

The barber puts a dollar bill in one hand and two quarters in the other, then calls the boy over and asks, 'Which do you want, son?'

The boy takes the quarters and leaves the dollar.
'What did I tell you?' said the barber. 'That kid never learns!'

Later, when the customer leaves, he sees the same young boy coming out of the ice cream store and says ; 'Hey, son! May I ask you a question? Why did you take the quarters instead of the dollar bill?'

The boy licked his cone and replied, 'Because the day I take the dollar, the game's over!'

ANSWERS TO A FEW QUESTIONS

2009-09-14T12:01:00.006-07:00

I know this date is usually MONDAY IMAGE but I thought I would take this day to answer some questions that my blog readers have been asking me. And I am sorry that it has taken me so long to respond, I am thrilled that you read my blog and certainly hope that you will continue to do so..

#1. SquirrelQueen mentioned in my post about my mother's quilt that she too has a grandmothers quilt that she too will repair and put into use. SquirrelQueen, I want you to know that I have gently laundered my mothers quilt and it now drapes proudly over the back of my sofa for all to see and enjoy. I love having it where I can see it and think of my mom as she spent all of those hours sewing it together for me. I am sure you will enjoy the same feelings when you put yours into use.

#2. Rae also commented about my quilt but she was saddened that neither she nor her sisters had anything of their mothers. I know how sad that is Rae and you stating that you will make sure your children certainly will is a wonderful thing. I must admit that as I grow older I appreciate my mothers quilt even more.

#3. Rae commented that she had dug up beautiful Tulip bulbs from her parents house and planted them by her front door and now gets to enjoy their beauty every spring. She talked about how she thought about her parents every time she walks by this amazing flowers. I imagine you can feel your mom smiling down on you each time you pause as you go by this lovely display. I managed to dig up a part of my dad's Lilac bush from the house we used to live in. I brought it to Montana with me and it has done very well. Every time I pause there, or water the plant I think about my wonderful dad and I miss him desperately every day of my life. The feelings this plant evokes in me are so heart warming. I am thankful for it everyday.

#4. Rae said she was looking for a new camera and wondered what I would suggest. Well, for the last 3 or 4 years I have been using a Kodak camera EasyShare Z650. It has 6.1 mega pixels and 10 X zoom. All of my photo's in this blog and Lifeofapoundpuppy blog have all been taken with this camera. It has been a great camera for me as this was my first digital camera I have owned. Fortunately I purchased a lens protector for this camera as it has hit the ground more time than a bolt of lightening in a vicious thunder storm. The camera is rather big compared to the camera on the market today so I always kept a strap attached to it that went around my wrist just in case! But as you all know, I have fallen several times and each time this camera was attached to my wrist so it went down hard with me. One occasion we were walking on a fairly steep trail and the camera seemed to jump from my hand and rolled about 50 long feet down the hill. It did make me laugh as it continued to roll and roll down the hill and I wondered if I would ever get it back! Fortunately a very kind gentleman hiking with us ventured down the steep slope and rescued it for me.

It has been a wonderful, easy camera for me these last years but last week I decided it was time to update my photo equipment. I bought a Canon A2000IS camera from BestBuy on line. One of it's great selling point was is that it weighs just 7 oz. as apposed to the Kodak which weighs in at 1 and 1/2 pounds. So that is a plus. This Canon camera has 10.3 mega pixels and 6X optical zoom. So there are many reasons I choose this little camera to try to expand my picture techniques. You will probably notice a few improvements on my blogs with more detailed pics in my posts as my favorite thing is to get as close as I can into a flower or something that has lot's of detail. So we shall see.

#5. Rae stated that she has never seen a mountain..especially like the ones in Montana, So Rae, the above photo is for you! This majestic mountain is called Trapper Peak and is just down the road from our home. She always looks so different with the change of the seasons and even with the change in the weather.

#6. What is there to see in Montana?? Well, We are blessed with two fantastic National Parks in Montana....Glacier Nation Park which we share with Canada and The amazing Yellowstone National Park that is also located here in Montana. The Yellowstone is so large that it is shared with the states of Wyoming and Idaho. You can get all the info and photo's you could need at

www.nps.gov/yell/ Enjoy the info at this site!! Of course there are many more wonderful things to see in Montana and these are two of the best!

In my next post I will try to show photos of the craft projects I have been working on this summer.

FRIDAY FLOWERS

2009-09-12T17:29:00.002-07:00

This is a photo of my beautiful BETTY BOOP ROSE bush that has such wonderful color with every bloom. The flowers in my flower beds have slowed their blooming times so I imagine that soon they will put themselves to bed for the long upcoming winter. I will certainly miss them.

AN AMAZING REVELATION

2009-09-09T14:41:00.004-07:00

While going through a few old packed boxes this week I came upon this old quilt that was a gift from my mother many, many years ago. I do recognise several of the prints in the quilt as my mother never threw away anything that might find a purpose.

I see the material from a blouse she made so I could have a new outfit to wear on the first day of school, a skirt she made for the class pictures...ah yes, grade school! Many pieces from leftovers of her own handmade blouses and dresses adorn my quilt. Handmade, yes, almost all of our clothes were handmade. Back then, it wasn't considered a "craft", it was considered an necessity.
My mother took the time to show me how to sew and because of that I still love to sew to this day. Early on I discovered the pure pleasure of going to school with a one of a kind outfit...not one bought off the rack at the local store like so many of the girls did.

When I rediscovered my mothers quilt gift I realized it was time to give it some loving care and put it back in use. But because she had recycled several pieces of material into this quilt, and because of their previous use and age they did not survive the years spent in storage.

So I bought some vintage fabric that worked into the quilt as if I had reached back into my mom's sewing basket. And as I begun to hand stitch the new fabric into place a feeling of the pioneer spirit seemed to be creeping into my work. It was then I realized that I was doing what all women did back in those days....they patched, repaired, mended, and remade many things in their lives because that is the way their mothers did it. They didn't throw something away because it was broken or worn out. They repaired,, and mended many things that we today discard into the garbage with out a single thought.

The youth of today will not know the feel, the smell, the pride that goes along with a handmade item from a relative long gone from this earth. To hold such an item, to feel the tiny stitches that were placed there by my own mothers hands, to feel the softness of the vintage material, is something that no amount of money can buy.

So it is with pride that I add my own tiny stickies to this precious quilt. Maybe one day a grandchild will do the same. Thank you mom for all the late evenings you spent bent over this beautiful piece of work. I know you no longer recognize me but I know in my heart when God releases you from the terrible world of Alzheimer's that he will tell you how much your time and efforts still mean to me. And how I can still feel the love and care you put into this wonderful quilt each time I run my fingers across it.

SATURDAY SKIES

2009-09-06T10:19:00.002-07:00

This is another amazing sunset in Montana. The skies are so beautiful with or without clouds. I am so thankful for a camera that has truly opened my eyes to the wonders around us in this world. It seems once you have viewed the world through the lens of a camera you never look at things the same again.

FRIDAY FLOWERS

2009-09-06T10:13:00.002-07:00

This lovely patch of Tulips was a scene I would walk by every morning on my morning adventures when we lived in Washington state. I can imagine how much work this must have been for this gardener when they first planted these bulbs. The rewards are being enjoyed by all the neighbors every year for a long time.

TUESDAY TOONS

2009-09-01T10:42:00.003-07:00

APHORISM: A SHORT, POINTED SENTENCE EXPRESSING A WISE OR CLEVER OBSERVATION OR A GENERAL TRUTH; ADAGE
*************************************************************************

The nicest thing about the future is that it always starts tomorrow.

Money will buy a fine dog, but only kindness will make him wag his tail.

If you don't have a sense of humor, you probably don't have any sense at all.

A good time to keep your mouth shut is when you're in deep water.

How come it takes so little time for a child who is afraid of the dark to become a teenager who wants to stay out all night?

Business conventions are important because they demonstrate how many people a company can operate without.

Why is it that at class reunions you feel younger than everyone else looks?

Scratch a cat and you will have a permanent job.

No one has more driving ambition than the boy who wants to buy a car.

There are no new sins; the old ones just get more publicity.

There are worse things than getting a call for the wrong number at 4 AM - it could be the right number.

No one ever says "It's only a game." when their team is winning.

I've reached the age where the happy hour is a nap.

Be careful reading the fine print. There's no way you're going to like it.

The trouble with bucket seats is that not everybody has the same size bucket.

Do you realize that in about 20 years, we'll have thousands of old men and old ladies running around with tattoos? (And rap music will be the Golden Oldies!) No! Say it isn't so!

Money can't buy happiness -- but somehow it' s more comfortable to cry in a Porsche than in a VW.

After 60, if you don't wake up aching in every joint, you are probably dead!

THANKS PAUL, FOR THIS CUTE EMAIL!

TUESDAY TUNES

2009-08-25T10:19:00.002-07:00

LADIES!!! Remember....a layer of dust protects the Wood beneath it.

A house becomes a home when you can write 'I love you' on the furniture.

I used to spend at least 8 hours every weekend making sure things were just perfect - 'in case someone came over'. Finally I realized one day that no-one came over; they were all out living life and having fun! NOW, when people visit, I don't have to explain the 'condition' of my home

They are more interested in hearing about the things I've been doing while I was away living life and having fun. If you haven't figured this out yet, please heed this advice. Life is short. Enjoy it!

Dust if you must ............ but wouldn't it be better to paint a picture or write a letter, bake cookies or a cake and lick the spoon or plant a seed, ponder the difference between want and need?

Dust if you must, but there's not much time . . . . with beer to drink , rivers to swim and mountains to climb, music to hear and books to read, friends to cherish and life to lead.

Dust if you must, but the world's out there with the sun in your eyes, the wind in your hair, a flutter of snow, a shower of rain. This day will not come around, again.

Dust if you must, but bear in mind, old age will come and it's not kind. . And when you go - and go you must - you, yourself will make more dust!

It's not what you gather, but what you scatter that tells what kind of life you have lived.

THURSDAY NATURE

2009-08-06T19:57:00.003-07:00

Our temperature is easing up a bit with a high of about 65 degrees today. Very nice. We are having thunder and lightening at the moment as we have each evening this week. The yard is looking so green since Mother Nature does such a thorough job of watering it for me!

The above photo was taken on one of our adventures last fall near the Bitter Root River when everything was wearing it's fall foliage. I do love the colors of fall.

WEDNESDAY WILDLIFE

2009-08-05T06:33:00.002-07:00

I sure wish I could say I took the above photo but I did not. I don't believe there is anything more spectacular than the American Bald Eagle. What an amazing look he has as he goes about his day. And I am so thrilled every time I see one so near our home.

Several of these giant birds spend quite a bit of time in the trees above the Bitter Root river close to our home doing their daily fishing. You can really understand the length of their beautiful wings when they effortlessly launch themselves from their perch in a giant tree and swoop down to the river and arise again with a fish in their claws. It is a amazing sight I have gotten to see but never gotten the chance to photograph it.

SUNDAY WILDERNESS

2009-08-02T16:27:00.006-07:00

The temperature is up a bit again today so we have stayed close to home to try to keep out of the heat.
I have spent most of the day in the craft room trying to finish up a project I have wanted to get done for quite some time. And with the help of JW it was completed quickly. It sure feels good to complete something doesn't it?!
Our puppy hasn't been feeling well today so the first thing in the morning I will give Dr. Joe a call and see if he can check her out right away. She has a growth on her nose and today it has grown quite large. Keep good thoughts for us 3 please.

NATURE THURSDAY

2009-07-30T18:30:00.001-07:00

WILDLIFE WEDNESDAY

2009-07-29T07:51:00.003-07:00

This beautiful Bald Eagle sat in this tree for quite some time watching us as we hiked by. He was magnificent when he finally took flight.

MONDAY MAGIC

2009-07-27T13:57:00.005-07:00

JW and I planted a beautiful raised bed of his favorite peas this summer. They are growing very well and are beginning to produce lots of yummy peas.
But we have a bit of a mystery in the pea patch!......
The packet of peas was labeled Green Arrow but we somehow ended up with several that look oddly just like Sweet Peas.

They showed lots of beautiful color but unfortunately they died before they could fully develop into a large pea pod.
Of course since these are JW's favorite garden item it really wasn't very funny to him! He does eat them as he harvests them so they have never made it into the kitchen.

ROAD TRIP SCENES

2009-07-19T09:53:00.005-07:00

We went on a road trip last week and stopped in Kellogg, Idaho just off of the I-90 interstate highway. I have seen many of this car dealers advertisements but had never been at any of his car lot's. You too, may have seen or heard his ads...Dave Smith Chevrolet. The locals call Kellogg DaveSmithville. He has cars for sale in every empty parking lot in town, and space that isn't being used has many cars sitting in them.

Gosh, you can get two color choices of this truck model...yeah, be the only one in your town to own one!!! You can have this model in any color you want as long as it's silver! Maybe this is really the warehouse inventory for OVERSTOCK.COM!

Happenings in the garden this month

2009-07-13T13:18:00.008-07:00

Tomatoes are slow to grow here in Montana. Could be because the nights still can get down into the low 30's. Darn!
But if the deer don't find them we can still get a pretty good harvest from them before fall. So I am keeping a bit of deer netting over them during the night. Yes, the deer can be pretty sneaky. And even though the deer have no top teeth they still try to do as much damage to our plants as possible....and they usually succeed.

We have no idea what is going on with this years crop of peas. In all the years we have been planting them they have always produced white flowers that then develope into yummy pea pods. But this year they have produced flowers with beautiful color. It will be interesting to see what happens with the pretty colored ones. And fortunately there are still plenty of stalks with white flowers on them too.

Some of my flower pots have burst into bloom.....finally! These are very pretty red and orange snapdragons. One of my favorites.

Lot's of white color in this pretty pot.

And then there is my pink flowers in this large pot.

This is my first year in ages without a lot of Hosta plants around my yard. Apparently the 21 degrees below zero this last winter was just to much for them. I am sorry to see them go, they were all so beautiful in their own way. So all the large flower pots now hold plants with so much wonderful color. I am sure enjoying them this season.

2009-07-11T08:30:00.003-07:00

A MONTANA RANCHER NEAR NYE, MONTANA SPEAKS HIS MIND!

The Second Amendment . . . . America 's original homeland security!
**************************************************************************** remember the average response time to a 911 call is over 4 minutes. The average response time of a 357 magnum is 1400 FPS.

Goodies from our garden

2009-07-10T20:46:00.003-07:00

We have enjoyed these beautiful radishes from our garden this week. Not many made it into the salads but they sure tasted amazing. So fresh too.
The pea patch is showing wonderful progress. Photo's will follow soon!

I have found the elusive flower at last!

2009-07-04T15:02:00.003-07:00

It has taken me 3 years but I have finally found the very elusive flower called the Bitter Root which was found by Lewis and Clark on their trek through this beautiful valley all those years ago. And of course this valley is named after this flower as is the river that runs the length of the valley.
I have been told, but have not read this fact myself, that this is the only place in the world this little beauty exists.
One reason I was having such a hard time finding one is that the flower closes close up in the early evening and opens late in the morning. I can't believe how many times I have walked right by this area where this flower is growing. The flower is only about 2 inches across and about 4 inches tall so that makes it difficult to see too.
So I am a happy girl now I was able to finally see this pretty flower actually growing instead just in a photo. And now I have a photo of my very own.

Thoughts for the week

2009-07-03T14:26:00.003-07:00

The Importance of Walking can add minutes to your life.

This enables you at 85 years old to spend an additional 5 months in a nursing home at $7000 per month.

My grandpa started walking five miles a day when he was 60. Now he's 97 years old and we don't know where he is.

I like long walks, especially when they are taken by people who annoy me.

The only reason I would take up walking is so that I could hear heavy breathing again.

I have to walk early in the morning, before my brain figures out what I'm doing..

I joined a health club last year, spent about 400 bucks. Haven't lost a pound. Apparently you have to go there.

Every time I hear the dirty word 'exercise', I wash my mouth out with chocolate.

I do have flabby thighs, but fortunately my stomach covers them.

The advantage of exercising every day is so when you die, they'll say, 'Well, she looks good doesn't she.'

If you are going to try cross-country skiing, start with a small country.

I know I got a lot of exercise the last few years,..... just getting over the hill.

We all get heavier as we get older, because there's a lot more information in our heads.
That's my story and I'm sticking to it..

AND Every time I start thinking too much about how I look, I just find a Happy Hour and by the time I leave, I look just fine.

You could run this over to your friends,,,But just e-mail it to them!

Our adventure into the woods

2009-06-25T12:31:00.006-07:00

Mistaya the puppy and I ventured out on a hike yesterday and along the trail we found several plants of Bear Grass is different stages of growth.
The flower is a beautiful white that grows on a stalk about 3 feet in height. The flower starts of open in bloom from the bottom of the flower.

Finally the bloom is complete and a wonderful, full flower sets atop the stalk.

They often grow in bunches of 6 or more and put on a spectacular showing. I have witnessed the Elk eating off the flowers and leaving nothing but the bare stalks standing. This flower stands out like a beacon in the forest when the sun shines down on it.

My Garden has come to life at last

2009-06-22T08:38:00.005-07:00

These are a few of my flowers that have finally came into bloom. Our winter seemed so long and spring so short that it appeared that nothing was going to bloom this year. So this is a very welcome site for us.

JW is still working at the 'hardware' store in town but has dropped back to 25 hours a week. This works out very well for him as he can spend much more time in his wonderful machine shop. We are both looking forward to the day when he does have to go to town to work every day.

We still have plans to take the little trailer to some nearby campgrounds this summer but he is now required to work every other Saturday so we are trying to work out a solution to that new problem. Oh, I am sure we can come up with something!

GET YOUR REST WHERE EVER YOU CAN!

2009-06-08T20:33:00.002-07:00

Isn't that the sweetest picture? No, I wasn't the lucky one who took this photo but I am still looking for such great opportunities.

This is a sad photo of my big beautiful Lilac bush that should be totally covered in big purple bunches of flowers right now. But this is all we are getting this year. Each group of flowers are usually 8 or 9 inches in length. These measure about three inches in length. How sad. I guess the 21 degrees below zero this last winter must have finally effected these beautiful old giants. According to the neighbors whose parents homesteaded here, this bush has been growing in this site since sometime in the 1940's. I do hope this last winter didn't hurt it too much. It is a row of Lilac bushes about 40 feet long. When in full leaf it makes a great privacy hedge all summer long.

Most of my lovely Hosta plants did not survive the winter. I decide to just plant different flowers with lot's of color in each of the very large pots. The color should brighten things up around here this summer.

PRIVACY AT LAST

2009-06-06T13:38:00.006-07:00

We have been spending many spare moments working on the privacy lattice for the back deck. No, it isn't because of the next door neighbors....she and I have beome good friends. It's because of the wondering gazes we get from the passing vehicles from our road.

It has brought a sense of peace and quiet to our little deck area. And I enjoy bar-b-queing myself something to eat during this warm late spring days. And I always eat my meal at the large picnic table near the Lilac bushes or if the weather isn't the best, on the deck.

And one corner of this area has been made into a wonderful reading/meditating area. A great place to put your feet up, enjoy a tall glass of ice cold lemonade and read a good book. Awe, now that's the life!

Thank you JW for all your hard work.

2009-05-26T20:03:00.000-07:00

THIS IS INDIA . IT'S WHERE YOU CALL WHEN YOU HAVE A TECHNICAL PROBLEM WITH YOUR COMPUTER.

CRAZY MONTANA WEATHER

2009-05-19T10:35:00.006-07:00

Our temperature reach an incredible 94 degrees yesterday. It felt so wonderful and we even had a gentle breeze most of the day. I believe our little town was the warmest in the state.

And this morning the temperature was 40 degrees when I first looked out the window but didn't think to take a photo until the temperature had already reached about 45 degrees. What
a temperature change! But I must admit the cool air this morning did feel good.

But of course our rivers are running so high and fast and there is no fishing on the World Famous Bitterroot River at the moment. Below is a 34 second video I took of the river not far from our house this morning. We can actually here the roar of the river from our back deck which is about 1 and 1/2 miles from the river. What a strange sound it makes. You will be able to hear the rush of the water on the video.

What crazy weather we are having

2009-05-13T19:32:00.002-07:00

This was the scenes we passed on our way home today. We are always amazed at the beauty of these mountains and each time they seem to offer a new and exciting look.
The below photo was taken very close to our home. The day before our neighborhood had experienced rain, hail, LOT'S of snow, wind and lightening that struck our road and the thunder cracked instantly following the flash from the lightening. Of course I always find the thunder so very exciting! And it can sure slam into these big beautiful mountains just above our house. What an amazing racket! The entire house and all the windows sound like they are going to rattle out of their frames.

JW and I are busy constructing a small green house for us. We are hoping to raise a few veggies without loosing any of them to the hungry deer. I will keep you posted with photos to show how we are progressing with this adventure.

How we spent Mother's Day

2009-05-11T19:33:00.002-07:00

Mother's Day was a fun busy one for us this year. We spent most of the morning working out in the yard as it was the first nice sunny day in a long time. The flowers are starting to grow as are lot's of weeds so that always keeps me busy.

About 2:30 that afternoon we drove to the nearby Hot Springs and spent a few hours soaking in the wonderful hot water of a very big pool. It still had it's winter covering on it so the air inside was so nice and warm . It was so relaxing that we both felt as though we could have taken a nap while floating leisurely around the pool. They weren't too busy so we had lot's of room to just float around. It was difficult to climb out of this amazing natural wonder but we had more plans for the day so we each retired to the showers and dressing rooms.

At 5:30 we had a date at a local restaurant with several people in my walking group so we arrived just at 5:30 as it was just a few miles back down the road from the Hot Springs. The place was crowded but we had made reservations so we joined those in our group that were already there. It was a fun evening of visiting but neither JW or I had a meal that we would be happy with. My steak had to be returned to the kitchen 3 times to try to get it right and the third time it was so over done that I could barely cut it with a steak knife. So I gave up on that. Yes, I have always been warned about sending food back to the kitchen and I was not thrilled to have to do it 3 times.

JW ordered a simple green salad and a baked potato...simple right?...no! He asked for a dinner salad made of Ice Burg Lettuce and she brought him a salad of spinach...not good. I forgot to say that we did arrive at the reservation time of 5:30 but did not get out order taken till we had been there over 30 minutes. By 6:30 we still hadn't received our order and sensed that things were not going to turn out well. It was well after 7:00 before any one's meal arrived and JW was patiently waiting for his baked potato. At 7:30 I turned to JW and said "Don't you think we have waited long enough for your simple baked potato to arrive? I think it is time to leave this place and go home and get something for both of us to eat." So we went to the register and told the waitress to take the potato off our bill....and we would not be returning to there establishment. Of course she apologized but that came a bit too late.

So a day that started out so wonderful and so relaxing at the Hot Springs, didn't end very well for both of us. And it's really a shame as we are very limited when it comes to places to eat out here at this end of the valley.

I am back---No, really!!

2009-05-07T17:44:00.008-07:00

Spread the Stupidity
Only in America ......do drugstores make the sick walk all the way to the back of the store to get their prescriptions while healthy people can buy cigarettes at the front.

Only in America.....do people order double cheeseburgers, large fries, and a diet coke.

Only in America.....do banks leave both doors open and then chain the pens to the counters.

Only in America.....do we leave cars worth thousands of dollars in the driveway and put our useless junk in the garage.

Only in America.......do we buy hot dogs in packages of ten and buns in packages of eight.

Only in America.....do they have drive-up ATM machines with Braille lettering.

EVER WONDER ....
Why the sun lightens our hair, but darkens our skin?

Why women can't put on mascara with their mouth closed?

Why don't you ever see the headline 'Psychic Wins Lottery'?

Why is 'abbreviated' such a long word?

Why is it that doctors call what they do 'practice'?

Why is lemon juice made with artificial flavor, and dish washing liquid made with real lemons?

Why is the man who invests all your money called a broker?

Why is the time of day with the slowest traffic called rush hour?

Why isn't there mouse-flavored cat food?

Why didn't Noah swat those two mosquitoes?

Why do they sterilize the needle for lethal injections?

You know that indestructible black box that is used on airplanes? Why don't they make the whole plane out of that stuff?!

Why don't sheep shrink when it rains?

Why are they called apartments when they are all stuck together?

If con is the opposite of pro, is Congress the opposite of progress?

If flying is so safe, why do they call the airport the terminal?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I am sorry that I have been away for such a long time. Life has been a roller coaster around here lately and sometimes I feel like I have fallen off of it!! Our weather has been amazing....4 days of rain, snow this afternoon along with hail, wind, and now lot's of beautiful sunshine. And of course because of all the rain my lawn has grown way to much. It is much to wet to get out the lawn mower yet. I hate to have to spend half a day raking it after I have mowed but that looks like a possibility for the near future.

The puppy is keeping me busy as we are taking nice long walks at least twice a day together. I am not sure which of us enjoys that the most.

We have plans to visit the local Hot Springs on Mothers day and then visit a new restaurant for dinner. Now that sounds like a nice afternoon!

Actually, I don't know what to say!

2009-04-29T20:30:00.004-07:00

No, that isn't cotton growing on my trees....it's just that white stuff that keeps falling from the sky. I just can't seem to get it to stop.

Even my beautiful Lupines are trying to make a valiant effort to grow this year but are now blanketed in a carpet of snow. They have been through this in past winters so I am fairly certain they will survive and reward me with very colorful flowers again this summer.

Well, this is similar to putting up your air conditioner and then the wonderful hot weather goes away. I brought out this chaise lounge and my hammock over the weekend and you can see what I have created. But I am going to fool Mother Nature and just leave them both out and maybe that will encourage warm spring weather to finally arrive here in our little neighborhood.

JW is cutting back on his hours at work so we can spend more time together here in our little home. We hope to get our greenhouse built soon to get those yummy veggies growing. I can taste those beautiful red tomato's already. It will be good to have him around more...I have noticed that even the puppy sits at the front window watching for him when it is time for him to arrive home each afternoon.

2009-04-19T13:47:00.004-07:00

The puppy and I were checking out any new growth in the flower beds today when I looked up and saw this pretty site.

A large jet had just passed over our valley and the winds seemed to be breaking up the vapor trail as the jet zoomed over us.

We have had some beautiful weather the last few days so I have been raking up leaves and weeds. I have been able to uncover many sprouts that promise to be beautiful flowers in a few months. And I am pleased to see that my Lupines are making a very strong comeback in all of my flower beds. Most of them are in the brilliant blue colors and they last such a nice long time so we and the Butterflies and Hummingbirds can enjoy them. JW helped me burn my many piles of leaves and weeds this morning before the winds came up. It sure looks better outside.

JW has been spending time in the Machine Shop this weekend and he does enjoy that. I do have a few projects that I need to talk to him about and find out when I can fit them into his schedule. It is going to be a busy spring as he is also planning to build us a greenhouse this year. I am very excited about that.

ENGLISH CHUTNEY

2009-04-15T09:40:00.009-07:00

JW spent the afternoon in the kitchen making up a batch of his English Chutney from the recipe his mother brought with her when the family immigrated here from England many years ago. This was a new experience for me as I had not been home when he made previous batches of this amazing food.
These are the items that he used to create this recipe.

The beautiful Red Delicious apples were found in our local store and they were grown in the beautiful state of Washington and actually were from our home town. They still taste like my memory tells me....good.

This shows the spices brewing in a kettle of vinegar....they did help to remove the terrible smell of the simmering vinegar every where in our house! And of course they brought a wonderful flavor to the Chutney as well.

All the apples have been sliced and added as well as the rest of the ingredients and the golden and brown raisins were the last to go in.

The pot simmers and simmers...............

And finally it is left to cool in the kettle. It sure smells good JW!!

A beautiful batch of Chutney in their jars and ready to eat...at last!

I tried this treat on crackers with cheese and I enjoyed it very much. The English apparently like to eat this on their french fries. Thanks JW

2009-04-04T07:18:00.002-07:00

I am beginning to reach the end of my cold so life is looking so much better. And JW returned to work today for a half day shift. He has been home ill with a cold since Tuesday. It has been a rough 2 weeks with both of us sick but I think we are beginning to see the end of this terrible illness. I told JW he has to get better because his 9 day vacation starts today when he leaves work. And we certainly don't want him to be sick on his vacation!

We are still getting snow storms almost everyday. Some days it is gone from the yard by late afternoon. But the skies are clear at night so the temperature drops quickly and then the snow appears every morning. The TV weatherman has finally stopped using the word Spring in his weather reports. Thank you.

I've been sick

2009-04-01T13:38:00.006-07:00

I have missed posting to my blog but I have had a very bad cold that kept me in bed sleeping for about 36 hours straight. I am feeling much better today but I am afraid that DW has come down with it now. Poor guy, he has spent the last 24 hours sleeping so I hope he is on the road to recovery soon.

This pretty bloom is from my grandmothers Hoya Plant that she gave me not long before she passed at the age of 103. It is such a hardy grower that I have had to trim it back several times during it's life time. For some reason it has not bloomed since some time in 2002. I have no idea why it hasn't bloomed by I was very surprised to see several groups of pretty flowers growing on it this week.

The flowers are a very subtle pink petals with copper colors in the centers.

They do put off an odor but I don't care for the smell at all. Maybe that's why they didn't bloom for so long.....I always complained about their smell!

This photo shows a group of flowers that haven't opened up their petals yet and the ones in the background just open today. The closed ones appeared to be coated in wax but look velvet when they open.
It's good to be back at the computer today. When I sat down to post yesterday I could not get on line. So I called Wildblue Satellite to send someone out to repair it for me. And when I went into my email account today I realized I had been offline since last Thursday! So it is good to be back in the cyber world again.