Farewell 2009.......Welcome 2010

This has been a busy year; feeling like a roller-coaster of Happiness and Sadness. At the beginning of the year, we celebrated our 25th Wedding Anniversary with Family and Friends. Throughout the year we accomplished quite a bit on our home and have enjoyed the results. The end of this year was a time of sadness. My mother-in-law and friend of 26 years passed away. Even though we are happy that she has gone on to a better place, a place without pain and suffering, we are saddened at the loss of someone very special to us. To which this past year I feel the words Auld Lang Syne are very appropriate.

I hope 2010 brings Happier moments and challenges. Below is a New Year's Card for you.

Have a Happy New Year 2010!

Chirstmas 2009

 

My Christmas Wish For You

Remember those Who Fight and Have Fought for OUR Freedom

I received the following in an email today. I don't know where it originated but it struck a chord with me. Too many people know all the cast members of different TV shows, or the winners/losers of the different Reality Shows around.....They know Paris Hilton, Tiger Woods, and whomever else is in the 'spotlight'.....But did you know that there are 92 living 'Medal of Honor' Holders? How many of you know what the 'Medal of Honor' represents? Bet you know what an 'Oscar' looks like and represents...........
As the Holidays draw close and you spend time with your families and friends, I hope you will take a minute to think of and say a prayer for our Armed Forces overseas.....
Also, take a minute read the following email I received.....Also, I have added a link to the Washington Post which ran the story on 30 November 2009.....

In the timeless words of Charles Dickens through 'Tiny Tim'; God Bless Us Everyone........

Sgt. Leonard B. Keller
 Many Americans woke up this morning and turned on the television or  searched the internet to find out the latest on Tiger Woods and his  wrecked  black Cadillac Escalade.  However, on this rainy morning in Northern Virginia, another black Cadillac meandered through rolling hills on hallowed ground.   

This vehicle carried Medal of Honor recipient, Sergeant Leonard B. Keller, to his final resting place at Arlington National Cemetery.
While a high profile athlete remained ensconced in his luxury mansion behind the walls of his gated community, a caisson with six black horses slowly walked along the rain soaked asphalt.  Family members followed, huddled close to each other beneath umbrellas trying to shield themselves from the rainy and dreary cold morning. They came to pay tribute to a father, grandfather, brother, and friend.

 As the cars drove past on State Road 110 and planes flew overhead leaving Reagan National Airport, I am sure no one knew who was being buried, their name, age, or hometown.  On this day it was a man who showed uncommon valor in the jungles of Vietnam.
 
On May 2, 1967, Sergeant Leonard B. Keller and his unit were sweeping through an area in Vietnam where an enemy ambush had occurred earlier. The unit suddenly came under intense automatic weapons and small-arms fire  from a number of enemy bunkers and numerous snipers in nearby trees. Sgt.  Keller quickly moved to a position where he could fire at a bunker from which automatic fire was received, killing one Viet Cong who attempted to  escape.Leaping to the top of a dike, he and a comrade charged the enemy bunkers, dangerously exposing themselves to the enemy fire. Armed with a light machine gun, Sgt. Keller and his comrade began a systematic assault on the enemy bunkers. While Sgt. Keller neutralized the fire from the first  bunker with his machine gun, the other soldier threw in a hand grenade, killing  it occupant. Then he and the other soldier charged a second bunker, killing its occupant. A third bunker contained an automatic rifleman who had  pinned down much of the friendly platoon. Again, with utter disregard for the  fire directed to them, the two men charged, killing the enemy within.
Continuing their attack, Sgt. Keller and his comrade assaulted four more bunkers and eliminated the enemy threat. During their furious assault, Sgt.Keller and his comrade had been almost continuously exposed to intense sniper fire as the enemy desperately sought to stop their attack. The ferocity of their assault had carried the soldiers beyond the line of bunkers into the tree line, forcing snipers to flee. The two men gave immediate chase, driving the enemy away from the friendly unit. When his ammunition was exhausted, Sgt. Keller returned to the platoon to assist in the evacuation of the wounded. The two-man assault had driven an enemy platoon from a well prepared position, accounted for numerous enemy dead, and prevented further friendly casualties. Sgt. Keller's selfless heroism and indomitable fighting spirit saved the lives of many of his comrades  and inflicted serious damage on the enemy.

 People fall from grace from time to time -- politicians, athletes,  pastors, and others.  We are human and far from perfect.  Why is it that so many are more interested in the tabloid news of today than the true life stories ofreal Americans, real heroes?  Those who always give more than they take.Those who are determined to leave this world a better place than they found it.

 This morning a man was buried in the hallowed ground of Arlington National Cemetery.  A man of simple means.  Not a billionaire or a star athlete.  Too often we put more attention on worth or the material things a person has rather than the things a person does.

 As I stood at the gravesite this morning and watched the four other Medal of Honor recipients in attendance salute as soldiers slowly folded the American flag that draped Sgt. Keller's casket, I was reminded of the thousands of men and women who make tremendous sacrifices defending this great nation.  Sgt. Keller and the 92 living Medal of Honor recipients are heroes in every sense of the word.  They have all answered the call of duty, but more than that, they have placed the lives of others and the liberty of an entire nation above their own lives.  They were all willing to make the ultimate sacrifice so that we may all enjoy the fruits of freedom.

 On this week after Thanksgiving, I am thankful for heroes like Sgt.  Leonard B. Keller.  May God Bless Sgt. Keller and his family.



Here's the link to the Washington Post Article:


http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/11/30/AR2009113003263.html

Happy Thanksgiving

Time....What is that saying? 'Time and Tide wait for no man'...... How true this is; already it is November and I am behind on my blogging. I have several updates to make, and will try to get them done in the next couple of weeks (before Christmas!)..... Tomorrow is Thanksgiving, so I just wanted to send out special wishes to Family and Friends....I hope you have a Happy Thanksgiving....Below is my card to you! (Remember you can click on the pic to get a larger image)...Chat soon with lots of pictures.....

The Family/TV room remodel

Well, it is almost done; we have to do the electrical and move the TV and get Dave a Recliner, but the room is pretty well there!
Here are the pictures in order; from what it was, during and the Almost done! What do you think?

When You Least Expect It....

As you know we live in a very (wonderful) old house, and it came with some 'old' appliances. I knew the stove was old, could tell from looking at it...Well about 6 months ago one of the burners went...Monday, the oven went....Of course, it would be monday, a holiday, a day when all the major stores in our valley are closed! I had hoped the stove would last one more year...We are going to try to get the kitchen renovated next year and put in a gas stove and new refrigerator. Of course we aren't set up for the gas stove yet, so have to get another electric.

I started browsing to see who had the best deals. Sears had some okay deals, but we don't have a 'real' Sears store in the valley, just a Sears 'sort of store', and even if I ordered it online, it would take 6 to 8 days to get it (NOT). Home Depot and Lowe's also had some good deals, but they are 2 to 3 hours away, and 'don't currently deliver' in our area (There's a shock)....So Tuesday afternoon we went down to the Best Brands Plus store in Alamosa. Found a sort of inexpensive electric stove (has a glass top) and they delivered it at 7pm that evening....Service in Rural America! We did pay a delivery fee and a disposal fee (to have them haul off the old stove, worth every penny!). So now we have a new stove....

What about the gas stove you ask? Well, I thought about that...I love to cook on gas stoves...So here's the 'plan' I came up with! We will still get the gas stove when we renovate the kitchen. At that time the Electric will be sent to the garage to wait a bit. We do plan on adding onto the house at some point in the near future (we need a larger back porch, so we can get the washer and dryer out of the bathroom)...So when we build the extension for the porch, the electric can sit out there! That way I will have 2 stoves for cooking and baking! Voila! That works!

Continuing this saga to its conclusion....When Dave pulled the old stove away from the wall, I found the model number on the back....Out of curiosity, I looked it up on the web....It just so happens that this Frigidaire Range came out in the year 1962....So I guess it dying in 2009 is pretty phenomenal......It sold for $249.00, (I found an old advert for it), I don't know what the warranty was like, but I bet it was longer than the 1 year I got on this new one!

So now I have a new stove to play with.....This weekend I will blog with pictures as I am just about done with the new family room. Came out great I think....I'll let you judge though....
Till this weekend.........
Cheers.

The Weekend

Time is flying by; where did July go?! Now it's August and I finally had my yard sale yesterday. I guess I was one of a dozen or more in town from what visitor's said. I didn't sell as much as I would have liked, but I would say it was successful.

Now today is 'cleaning' and baking day. I have a loaf of bread, dinner rolls and cinnamon rolls trying to rise...Will be interesting to see how long this takes. Fall is starting to creep into the valley. It was 33 degrees this morning and not quite 60 degrees in the kitchen. So I have the oven on a bit to help get those dough's rising!

Still have plaster holes to patch from removing the paneling and furring strips from the wall in the tv/family/craft room. There were so many holes I decided to wallpaper the wall up to the picture rail. I found this great product called the 'wall doctor' at the Home depot site. The wallpaper is real thick and comes in different textures that is paintable. It is designed to cover problem walls like mine, but also will stick to paneling and ceilings! I got the one that looks like beadboard, but it comes in about 11 different textures. I put it up over some ugly paneling that is going to have to stay in place for another year and now it looks great! I will take some before and after pics and put them up soon.

Well, I need to get started on cleaning and stuff....I did want to share a picture with you though. Remember back in late May, I put a picture of my new hanging flower pots (on my porch)? Well, here is a pic of what they looked like back in May and what they look like today! People are always stopping and commenting on them.....

Have a great weekend....

A Unique Day at Work

Usually I am desk/computer bound all day long. I manage and maintain our database and I make maps. However, every once in a while either people feel sorry for me and invite me out into the field to spend the day with them in the mountains; or like today, I am working on a special project which gets me out of the office for a day or two.

Today I went on a hike in the Sangre De Christo Mountains; collecting samples and ground truthing an area.

The weather was gorgeous and so was the area I was in!
Here are some pictures of the stream, old mine, wildflowers and lots of trees I hiked through.

Now more computer work needs to be done; so my field days are numbered.....

Hope you are having a great summer!

I Love Summer

Summer is here, the weather is warming up....A bit too much maybe; we are in the high 80's regularly now. But with summer heat comes the farmer's market. We have a wonderful Farmer's Market about 15 miles east in Alamosa. Many of the seller's are from New Mexico, and there are also some from the local area. But to walk through the open air market, listening to sounds and soaking up the sights and smells is what summer is all about. We go to the market about 7:30am on weekends; that way we get the best selection and there aren't tons of people.

One of our favorite stalls is run by local Amish families. They have fresh baked breads, rolls, pies, jams and jellies and coffee cakes; they are just heavenly. Dave and I would rather give our money to them than some big mass produced food chain.

So Saturday, we went to the Farmer's market and bought Peach Pie, Apple Pie, Cinnamon Raisen Bread and dinner rolls. They are so good!

We also bought fresh peas, tomatoes, onions, squash and cucumber!

All elements of an excellent Summer BBQ!

Here is a picture of our First of the Summer Farmer's Market visit....As the summer progresses, the chili's, potatoes and other veggies and fruits will start showing up! Stay tuned for more!

Have a great summer!

Finished Projects!

Well my ambitious list of things to get done isn't complete, but at least I finished a couple of projects!
The Kitchen.

We have to wait a bit to completely redo the kitchen, but I had to at least do something! I look through catalogs and country/cottage style magazines all the time. I found these darling shades that button up (to raise and lower), and this matching valance; but because my kitchen window is almost 6 feet long it was going to cost almost $200 (if I bought them). So I searched on-line for the same designer material and found a 1.5 yard (56" wide) remnant for $23.00, then went to Wally world and found the blue gingham material at $7.50 for 5 yards. Below is the result. I think it came out cute!
The kitchen is all paneled (and carpeted, which I hate both). I decided to rip out some of the paneling so I could see what the walls look like...Not bad, but they aren't staying yellow (well until we get the rest of the paneling down).

The patio.

I mentioned in an earlier post that I was being ambitious building a brick patio to cover the 'dead spot' under one of our spruces....Friday my friend Sine (a really, really good friend!), came over and we spent the day scraping the old mortar off the bricks and setting them. Sine calls herself 'the finisher'...She won't quit till it's done! I had gotten the 3 pieces of flagstone from Mark and Sine, and they worked out great. The walk down the side of the house isn't done yet, but a lot of it is done; especially the patio! Here's a during and after picture!

Well, I have some other stuff to get done, will blog again soon!
Everyone (okay, the 2 or 3 people that read this) take care and keep happy!

What's been going on?!

Gee; I didn't realize it has been so long since my last blog entry! I have been tied up with the blog I created to help with the Relay for Life team. Well lets see, working in the garden has been a big part of my free time; the flowers are doing great! I also started this project on a brick patio.

We love our home, but the backyard is a bit difficult. It was neglected for 2 years when the owner had to move into a care facility, so not much was living when we bought the place (okay, the weeds were doing great). We have 3 fifty foot Spruce trees and 2 apple trees in the backyard, so there isn't much that gets sunlight. This of course along with the acidity (from the Spruces) makes growing grass around the trees a challenge. One that I have finally given up on. I don't care what they say about 'patch perfect' or grows in 'shade', I have a blank spot that even the weeds think twice about growing in! The only thing that sits there are the spruce needles.



So when a friend of ours started knocking down walls of their 1890 house to add on a room, they asked if I wanted some bricks! That gave me the idea of putting in a small brick patio, under the spruce to cover that blank spot. Dave is planning on building a deck in the back yard, so I designed the patio to come up right to the edge of the wood deck. So our friend delivered us a trailer full of old bricks and I set to work. I have never worked with bricks before, but I remember all of these DIY's where they talk about making sure the area is even and level, blah, blah, blah....That doesn't work with bricks that were hand made in forms. Each brick is a little bit different in size and thickness. So each one has to be individually set based on it's sitting next to the previously set one...Each brick also has to have the mortar chipped off, but it's a small price to pay for free bricks. Of course I got overzealous in my plans and now don't have enough bricks; so talking to another friend of mine who has some spare sandstone slabs (from their patio build on), I decided to make the center the sandstone and surround it with bricks. I think it will look good when done.
Of course I forgot to take pictures of the area before my meddling, but the picture below gives you an idea of the 'bald' spot in our yard.


The tomato's are doing great, they have lots of flowers, no tomato's yet though....The apple trees are full of apples; if we can just get to them before the squirrels eat them all....I lost the first crop of lettuce, but have started another one which seems to be doing well...Maybe too well, it looks like I am going to have to do a lot of thinning.


4th of July weekend is upon us. Dave put up the flag mount on the front porch so we can hang our American flag. Want to try and get the front and back doors painted this weekend, I also have shades and a valance I am sewing for the kitchen; they are cut out so all I have to do is finish them up. Let's see what else....We are going up to Creede on Saturday for a few hours to the 4th celebration picnic up there. We are also going to go bicycling this weekend...Also need to finish tearing out the paneling and firring strips in the family room and get the holes patched so I can paint and get that room done.......Pretty ambitious, we'll see what gets done.

Till later; Have a Happy and Safe 4th of July. (oh yeah, we have fireworks for friday night too!)...

Flowers, Flowers, and More Flowers!

This has been a great week for me and flowers. Last Friday, Dave suprised me with 2 doz beautiful roses....Just because!....Picture below...They smell absolutely heavenly; which is rare anymore that roses smell at all. After almost a week they still look great....
Next, is the long awaited Peony Bloom. When we moved into this house 3 years ago, I tore everything out of the front garden except a Peony plant and 5 Irises. The first year, there was nothing and I didn't even realize that it was a peony plant. Last year I had a single bud on the plant and just before it was ready to bloom, I hit the plant by accident and broke the bud off the stem. I was devestated! This year, with another bud starting, I watched it like a hawk to make sure no dogs, cats, husbands, or myself for that matter, went anywhere near that plant. I had yet to see a full blossom, color and all; and this was going to be my year!
After weeks of patiently waiting, we came home from work today to find the Peony blossom open!
Here is a picture; the pink is so absolutely deep, it is just gorgeous (well to me anyway).
My Lace vine has started budding so it should be in full bloom in the next month or so, and a friend of mine gave me some rooted Pussy Willows that I have planted in the yard...We'll see how they do....I love flowers in the garden; even though it is a lot of work.
Well, may flowers fill your days and sunshine fill your life.
Until later.

Summer Dessert

It's summer (well almost), so I thought I would share a favorite summertime dessert. Incredibly easy and quick....
If you have Margarita glasses or other glass dishes, this pretty green dessert looks great in them.....Also as a tip to prepare ahead:
Spoon mix into serving glasses, cover and freeze. I use Shaved Andes Mints as a garnish, but if you have fresh peppermint leaves, that works too!
More recipes soon!
I hope you enjoy!

Relay For Life

This blog post is dedicated to the Associates/Friends we work with who are participating this year in the American Cancer Societies: Relay for Life.
A number of employees of the San Luis Valley Public Lands Center, are dedicating their time and efforts to raise money and participate in the Relay for Life! We're proud of all of you!
The SLVPC team Page: SLVPLC TEAM

So what is this Relay for Life?

Well briefly, from the website:
"Relay For Life is the American Cancer Society’s signature activity. It offers everyone in a community an opportunity to participate in the fight against cancer. Teams of people camp out at a local high school, park, or fairground and take turns walking or running around a track or path. Each team is asked to have a representative on the track at all times during the event. Relays are an overnight event, up to 24 hours in length."

For more information see: American Cancer Society: Relay for Life


The SLVPC team has been having bake sales to raise money; also receiving donations from associates, friends and family.
I found today that I could donate by purchasing a 'Luminaria' in Honour of a Cancer Survivor, or In Memory of someone who lost the battle.
Luminaria link: Luminaria

So many have lost the fight to cancer. My grandmother Lina lost the battle to Breast Cancer, a good friend of ours died from Brain Cancer, we have lost many friends over the years to different types of Cancer. But amidst the pain of those we've lost, is also the joy of those who have survived. Survivors like my Mom, My Mom-In-Law, and My Aunt (favorite Aunt!).So many have lost the battle to Cancer. But their deaths should not be in vain; although a cure for Cancer has not yet been found, early detection, advances in technology and new procedures have saved so many lives.

One day we will find a cure; each step we take into the future, Each step the team takes during the Relay for Life, takes us one step closer to a cure.

I can't imagine that there is one person in the United States who has not been in some way touched by Cancer. I hope everyone who see's this post will take a minute (to visit the web page) and $5.00 to help the Relay for Life. You don't have to donate to our SLVPC Relay for Life Team; the Relay for Life is a National Effort, you can check the web page to see if there is an event in your town.

We can and will overcome the Battle against Cancer one step at a time.

To the SLVPC Relay for Life Team; Thank You for taking up the torch and participating in this effort!

God Bless You!

Bits and Pieces I

Over Memorial Day weekend I sanded and painted our Front Porch. I thought I had 'before' pictures, so I didn't take any.....Dumb.....Will be more careful in the future...However, I think the porch came out great...To give you an idea of what it looked like originally; it had that horrible green indoor/outdoor grass like carpeting, it was worn through and full of nasty holes. Once I ripped the carpet up, I found worn grey painted wood, so I started sanding....In one area a huge chunk of paint came off and I discovered that our front porch is made of the same hardwood flooring in the house! David let me use his belt sander; until I ripped through two sanding belts within about 2 minutes...I couldn't help that the wood had some peculiar tendencies. At least when I tore up the belts, I was close to finishing. So I just took the sanding belts and sanded the rest by hand.....Painting the porch was a challenge, because of the weather. Trying to get it painted before rain set in, but after it had warmed up a bit...But I was able to get it done! I used a floor paint that has the polyurethane already built in (love that stuff), but because the porch is subject to getting wet, I added a tread-tex, so people won't slip. Stuff works great, but you have to stir the paint a lot more often. The final touch to the porch is an outdoor rug that is blue/beige to break up all of the white.We also bought a beautiful blue-grey paint for the front and back doors, will get to that soon (before pics, I know!).
Oh! My Iris's finally bloomed; here is a picture!
More later.

On Remodeling I

We love our home; it was built in the 1910's, with hardwood floors and old electrical. We are not really remodeling the house, we are returning it to it's former Edwardian era glory. So naturally I spend a lot of time researching and finding reproduction hardware sites. Downstairs rooms have 10 foot ceilings which have been lowered, and we are going to rip out, if everything goes well I am going to put up a tin ceiling in the living room. Everything is lathe and plaster, which is in great shape and we are keeping intact. Because of the lathe and plaster walls, we also have picture rails. Of course plaster walls provide some challenges for having the rewiring done, but it is worth it. Every room downstairs (except the bathroom) is paneled....Yes, even the kitchen is paneled! So that is the first thing that comes out! I have been taking before, during (in some cases), and after pictures, so as I talk in future posts about the changes I will include some of the pics.....I have included a few pictures of some of the miscellaneous things in the house that we love.......More to come soon...

Here's a picture to ponder........Can you guess what it is?
Here's a picture of some of the light fixtures in the house........

On Christopher Lee

I don't watch 'Reality' shows, and I don't normally follow the lives of Actors and Actresses; I do have my own life. However, there is one actor that I do admire and respect very much.
Mr. Christopher Lee.
So I thought I would spend a minute and chat about him in honour of his Birthday.

Every write up/blog/interview/movie website I have ever found on the Internet, basically regurgitates the same information about Mr. Lee, so I won't. (If you want to know his biography/filmography; you can Google him, Wikipedia, or visit his website; there are no shortages of sources).

So what is so fascinating about Christopher Lee that I would blog about him? Lot's of things, but I won't bore you with recounting all of it. But before I start, for those of you not familiar with him, here are some of the more recent characters he has portrayed in film: 'Saruman' from the Lord of the Rings Trilogy, 'Count Dooku' from Star Wars, and 'Death' (Voice of) from The Colour of Magic. Below is a montage I created a few years ago, featuring a number of characters Mr. Lee had portrayed in films.....
I have one of his biographies (The Lord of Misrule), and I have watched many of his movies, not all, but those where the storyline interested me, and I could actually get my hands on a copy. Movies which gave me a glimpse of his diverse abilities be it drama, horror, historical, comedy, or fantasy. I have a number of CD’s where he has collaborated with different artists in different music genres; these have highlighted Mr. Lee as a ‘multi-faceted’ performer. Though I have gleaned quite a bit of information, I know there is still so much more to this gentleman.

Mr. Lee is more than just a great actor; he is accomplished in literary ventures with published poetry and three books to his credit. Mr. Lee has also provided a number of narrations for various audio books, and has provided his voice for a number of recent computer games. Mr. Lee has donated a picture, a short note and the pen he wrote with, to the charity for the ‘Wipe out Illiteracy’. Mr. and Mrs. Lee are also very active in Children's Charities; including UNICEF.

Mr. Lee has performed at various times over the years in the music industry, not only releasing singles and albums (One of which went ‘Platinum’ in the UK; recently) and singing opera, but also; narrations to Stravinsky’s ‘A Soldiers Tale’ (Where he did ALL of the different characters!), narrations to The Tolkien Ensembles ‘Dawn at Rivendell’, and narrations to the Italian Group Rhapsody of Fire ‘The Dark Secret’.
I am not a 'Heavy Metal' Fan, but because of Mr. Lee's collaboration with the group Rhapsody of Fire, I got the albums and absolutely love them! Mr. Lee has performed songs with Rhapsody of Fire and recorded one album in 4 different languages (One of the songs/video off the album (English Version), and my favorite is embedded at the bottom of the page). On that note, Mr. Lee speaks seven languages and has traveled the world, bridging cultural and generational gaps with his wonderful personality and talent.

I hadn't thought about Christopher Lee in years; I remember seeing him in various films (1984; Police Academy; etc), but who he was never 'clicked' with me until Dave and I went to see the 'Lord of the Rings'. There was this actor; the perfect 'Saruman'; the Saruman I had always mentally pictured when I read the books. Then the credits, and who should it be.......none other than the 'Christopher Lee'; whom I hadn't thought about in years. I have now been a member of his website since 2004; and have not only learned a lot about him, but have also met (virtually in most cases; except one close friend that I did have the chance to meet on one of our trips to London) other people who consider Mr. Lee the iconic personality he is........

There are many of the members who have personally met Mr. Lee and they are great about sharing their experiences meeting him. Through other channels (of which I will not elaborate on; because of 'TRUST' ), I have learned many funny and wonderful (true) stories about Mr. Lee, which have given me a glimpse into his personality.

Mr. Lee will be 87 on Wednesday, 27 May 2009, but he still stays busy! He has a number of completed films that will be out this year, and he also has a number of films that he is currently working on. One special project due out this year is a CD/DVD called Emperor Charlemagne. It is touted as "the epic story of Emperor Charlemagne narrated and sung by the legendary actor Christopher Lee, who will be joined by guest stars from the movie world....". So patiently we wait for its release!

Also, word in cyberspace is that Mr. Lee will portray the 'Jabberwock' in Tim Burton's New 'Alice in Wonderland'. I will be interested to see what Tim Burton has in mind for Lewis Carroll's stories. Alice in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass are two books that I have read over and over again throughout the years, never tire of, and still Love to read!

Well, I promised not to go on and on, so I will end this blog post wishing Christopher Lee a Very Happy Birthday, with many more to come!

Cheers.

Flowers and More Flowers

There may be a lot of 'conveniences' that aren't available where we live, but we have a wonderful local nursery. We went shopping today and got some more flowers for my garden, some herbs and 2 tomato plants. The one item that the greenhouse excels in are hanging baskets! I bought two today for our front porch.

This year I am trying some new flowers; and they are turning out to be my new favorites! I have a beautiful white Hydrangea, and some Dahlia's, that are so pretty.

Below are some pictures of our new flowers......

On Memorial Day

Memorial Day.

What is Memorial Day?

A three day weekend? A day off from Work or School? A time to have bbq's with friends and family? The start of summer fun? Well, in a way yes; all of these are associated with Memorial Day.

But is that it? How many know and understand today what Memorial Day is; where it comes from and why it is a National Holiday?

Being a veteran, being married to a veteran, having father's, relatives and friends that are veterans, it is easy for us to remember what this 'Day of Remembrance' stands for. Today, with the Iraq and Afghanistan Wars, half a world away, and so many who have died during these wars for OUR Country; Memorial Day as a 'Day of Remembrance' should be foremost in our minds and hearts.

I was looking around the web to see what information was available on Memorial day, and I was saddened to come across the following statement....

"Traditional observance of Memorial day has diminished over the years. Many Americans nowadays have forgotten the meaning and traditions of Memorial Day. At many cemeteries, the graves of the fallen are increasingly ignored, neglected. Most people no longer remember the proper flag etiquette for the day. While there are towns and cities that still hold Memorial Day parades, many have not held a parade in decades. Some people think the day is for honoring any and all dead, and not just those fallen in service to our country."
(Quoted from: http://www.usmemorialday.org/backgrnd.html).


Because of this sad state,in the year 2000 the following was established:

"The National Moment of Remembrance, established by Congress, asks Americans wherever they are at 3 p.m., local time, on Memorial Day to pause in an act of national unity (duration: one minute).The time 3 p.m. was chosen because it is the time when most Americans are enjoying their freedoms on the national holiday. The Moment does not replace traditional Memorial Day events; rather it is an act of national unity in which all Americans, alone or with family and friends, honor those who died for our freedom. It will help to reclaim Memorial Day as the sacred and noble holiday it was meant to be. In this shared remembrance, we connect as Americans." (http://www.remember.gov/).


Dave came home from work with a Red Poppy today.............

Next question:

What is the significance of the 'Red Poppy'? Why is it always around right before Memorial Day?


"Inspired by a poem entitled, “In Flanders Fields”, the poppy has become the flower symbol for the Memorial Day Holiday.The poppy was first recognized as the Memorial Day flower in 1915 when a woman by the name of Moina Michael began to sell poppies in an effort to encourage further recognition of the day.

In Flanders Fields
By: Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae, MD (1872-1918)
Canadian Army

In Flanders Fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow

In Flanders fields.

This blog post is my tribute/contribution to the 'Moment of Remembrance' and Memorial Day. If only one person reading this observes the minute of silence on Memorial Day (at 3pm local time), it will be one more person who knows and remembers those who have fallen in honour, in the service of our Country.
As a final note to this blog; it doesn't matter if you support the current wars or not. It is your RIGHT to have and express your opinion under the US Constitution. But Please keep this close to your heart..... You have that right because of the men and women throughout our history who have fought to protect your rights; to protect OUR US Constitution.

Don't turn your back on our Servicemen (women), and don't cheapen the memory of those who have died fighting for OUR freedom.
I don't know how many who may read this have served in the US Military; but I thought I would share with you 'The OATH of Enlistment' for the US NAVY. I would like you to know what faith these Sailors (and all branches of the Military) are placing on our Country and on us:

The Oath of Enlistment

I, ___________________, do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; and that I will obey the orders of the President of the United States and the orders of the officers appointed over me, according to regulations and the Uniform Code of Military Justice. So help me God.

I hope you have a safe and happy Memorial Day.
A Moment of Remembrance.
A Day of Remembrance.

On Gato

Gato absolutely loves boxes; she sleeps in them and jumps in and out of them.....Don't bother with cat toys! A box or a crumpled piece of paper keeps her happy....As well as 'treats'....She knows her basket has toys and treats in it....

One cat, ready to ship! (Just kidding; we couldn't live without her!).

On Spring and Gardening

The temperatures are finally warming up to the mid to upper 70's! I have spent the last 2 weekends getting my flower gardens in order and also doing basic yard work.
We have 3 huge Englemann Spruce in our backyard

(along with 2 apple trees) which dump a ton of needles and
pine cones every year.....Here are some pics of the backyard
garden (I still have a bunch of plants to put in) and the apple
trees that are in bloom.






Dave got a new BBQ which we absolutely love (it has a 'smoker' section to it)....I have included a pic of his new summer toy.....

Watermelon is a sure sign of spring/summer and we got a great deal on one of those small, seedless ones. Unfortunately, we can never eat ANYTHING by ourselves...Gato always has to have some...And even though this watermelon is sweet (didn't think cats liked sweet); Gato loves the juice and to gnaw on the watermelon flesh........We swear she thinks she is a person and doesn't realize that she is a cat!


This weekend the lettuce, cherry tomato, and bell pepper seedlings will be transfered to their earth boxes (these are really cool gardening pots).......More to come later.......

Here's a story to make you smile!

I have chatted before on how much we love London, England; especially the people there. Here's a story that was posted on the BBC website; that brought a smile....It not only shows how cute the elderly can be, but how good-hearted the royal family can be.......

Catherine Masters(of Oxfordshire, England), a 109 year old woman, wrote to Queen Elizabeth complaining that the last 5 birthday cards sent to her, the Queen wore the same dress.

Prince William surprised Ms. Masters with a visit and had tea with her. Ms. Masters told Prince William that the Queen needed to obtain some new outfits and Prince William responded telling Ms. masters that his grandmother 'would change her outfit this year'.

Just cute....

Here are the BBC links if you are interested and have the time.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/8046886.stm

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/oxfordshire/8045654.stm


Happy Birthday Catherine Masters!

Another Great Horned Owl Update!

I hope I am not boring you, but these creatures are so beautiful, and I have never seen them this close...Usually it is at 'binocular' distance! So........This morning I was able to see all three 'fluff balls'. Two of them were on branches and the third was still in the nest. After 'mom' went to hunt for mice, I took these pics!

Great Horned Owls Update

We discovered this morning that there are actually 3 fledgling Great Horned Owls! Two of the 'fluff balls' were out on the branches this morning. The third is still in the nest and I couldn't get a good picture of it........I took pictures of the two 'fluff balls' this morning! They are just so beautiful!
I hope you enjoy!